[Mkguild] MK story Three of a Kind part 2

[Chris]

  Here is part 2 of Three of a Kind


****************


   Stealth stared at his home for the next thirty days. The bed was a simple
wood frame with a grid work of ropes to hold the thin straw mattress. A very
battered and worn chest stood at the foot of the bed.

   "Why did I come here?" Stealth asked.

   "You are here because Edmund needs you here to run messages between here
and Metamor," Terry answered.

   "That will only take a small amount of time. What am I going to do for
the rest of the time I'm here. For a month. A full month! "

   "Do? Why explore of course! Don't you want to see something of this
valley besides the Keep itself?" Terry answered. "There is an entire town to
explore here! Hundreds of people to meet and get to know."

   "I can't afford a holiday!" the cheetah commented.

   Terrant nodded her head. "You'll work for it. We'll have you running back
and forth with messages and packages."

   "Why do you want me? You know I'll just botch up any task you give me,"
Stealth said.

   "Stealth if I thought you would mess up I wouldn't take you along,"
Edmund answered sincerely. "I need someone I can trust to go back and forth
to the Keep with my personal correspondences. And I trust you!"


*******************


   A short distance away, across the courtyard was the manor where Nestorius
and his family lived. Amidst it's many rooms was one without any walls.
Inside sat the commander and noble in charge of the fortress and town. He
was well aware of the new arrivals but paid them little heed. Instead he
intently studied the map laid out on the table in front of him. With one
hand he lightly traced the image of the three figures at the top of the map.
"Who are you?"


********************


   The first morning patrol was a small one, just twelve knights on
horseback lead by Edmund. With them was Samantha. The young woman was an
experienced soldier and would be their guide for today.

   They made their way from the castle, through the town and out the east
gate. It was barely past dawn and the town and castle were quiet and still.
Only a handful of people were out, moving about on their own errands.

   As they crossed the bridge over the moat everyone grew more awake and
alert in spite of the early hour of the day. Swords hilts were grasped and
bows and arrows touched in one last check.

   Outside such walled towns was usually found a larger unwalled town just
as vibrant and active as the one inside. But Hareford was different. Outside
her walls was no town, no settlement, nor buildings of any sort. Just flat
open fields whose sole occupants were grazing sheep.

   They made their way slowly away from the fortress and the open grass
fields gave way to fields of wheat and grain.

   "What is the preferred crop?" Edmund asked. "I see mostly wheat and
barley."

   "Wheat and barely are the favorite but also growing apples is good,"
Samantha answered. "Some people have recently started raising sheep and that
seems promising."

   "Surely they have been sheepherding here for a long time," Edmund
commented.

   The woman nodded in response. "Oh yes but until recently with the
lessening of raids raising sheep was always dangerous. The Lutins seems love
mutton."

   "Doesn't everyone?" Edmund joked.


*********************


   It was several hours before sunset when the patrol finally made it's way
back through the town and into the courtyard of the castle. Aside from a
handful of young grooms and stable hands, Marcia and Terrant waited for
them.

   "The day was peaceful?" Marcia asked.

   "Very," Edmund answered as he shook his head slowly.

   "Surprised?" she asked.

   "Yes, I've heard of the troubles you've had here in the past," the
paladin explained as he climbed down from the saddle.

   Marcia walked up to Edmund. "Things HAVE been rather quiet as of late,"
she admitted as she laid a hand onto the bridle of Edmunds horse.

   "Now you are the one surprised," Edmund joked. He removed the saddlebags
and his extra quiver of arrows from the saddle.

   "We haven't had things this peaceful for as long as anyone can remember,"
the Castellan said as she lightly petted the horses neck. "I keep expecting
some massive and horrible attack to come."

   "You've been at war so long that you have forgotten what peace is like,"
Edmund commented.

   She laughed and smiled. "Peace is nice! I can actually sleep at night
now."

   "I was hoping," Edmund started suddenly. "to meet with Lord Nestorius."

   "Unfortunately Lord Nestorius is busy with a very important ritual at the
moment and cannot be disturbed," came the woman's guarded answer.

   "I see," Edmund said. "I do wish to confer with him before I leave. I
have questions that only he can answer."

   "I will talk to him and mention your desire for a meeting," was Marcia's
answer.

   "Good!" the paladin chirped in reply.

   "I was hoping that you and Bridgette would be willing to come to my home
this evening for dinner," Marcia announced. "My husband Maxwell is eager to
meet both of you."

   Edmund nodded in response and chirped in delight. "I'm honored and
flattered. Of course Bridgette and I will come for dinner."

   The woman smiled broadly. "Good! Then tonight at six pm please."

   "We'll be there!" the paladin answered cheerfully.


***********************


   The home of the Caruslo family was a modest three floor stone building
located on the main road leading to the keep. It was the last building on
that street before the deep moat. A pair of lanterns flanked the doorway to
the house. They cast a warm glow over the door and the street in front of
it. Standing in the doorway were two figures. One was Marcia the other was
an animal morph. The male had the thick, squat, black and white furred form
of a honey badger. A creature unknown in this colder climate.

   "Good evening!" the couple said to the arriving couple.

   The badger bowed deeply. "My name is Maxwell Caruslo. You have already
met my wife Marcia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for inviting us tonight," Edmund
answered. He pointed to Bridgette. "This is my ward Bridgette."

   "Thank you for coming!" Marcia said. "Please come inside!"


*********************


   "Dinner was delicious," Edmund said cheerfully.

   "Thank you," Marcia answered.

   "The sauce on the roast lamb was surprisingly spicy!" Edmund said.

   "Not too spicy I hope," Max asked.

   "No it was fine, just the right amount to make it exciting!" the paladin
answered.

   The woman smiled. "Good. Not many people like food so spicy."

   "I was born in the southlands," Edmund explained. "and it brought back
memories of my youth."

   "From the Southlands to Metamor," Max commented. "You've traveled a long
way."

   Edmund shrugged. "I go where the order needs me."

   "How are you and your people coping with being here?" Max asked.

   "Good. I have to admit things are a lot quieter then I expected," Edmund
answered.

   Max took a drink of beer and nodded. "It has been a lot more peaceful
then is usual for this season. Thankfully."

   "I know it will end sometime but hopefully not so soon," Marcia said.

   "Have you considered negotiating with the Lutins instead of fighting
them?" the feline paladin asked.

   A look of surprise crossed the woman's face. "You mean talk to them?"

   "Yes. The Lutins are one of the Great Ones people and Metamor has worked
with them in the past."

   "The distant past!" Max commented. "Not in centuries."

   "Then it is perhaps overdue," Edmund commented.

   "With Nasoj's dominance over them broken I am hopeful many Lutins will be
open to talk. Certainly trying to take Metamor by force has failed," Edmund
commented.

   "Negotiating with Lutins?" Marcia said slowly as if unable to grasp the
concept.

   "Why not? The Lutins respect force and power. And it's been shown several
times that Metamor is more powerful then Nasoj," the paladin explained.
"Every time Nasoj has attacked he has been defeated. Each time worse then
before."

   "Has Duke Thomas considered negotiating with the Lutins?" Marcia asked.

   The paladin nodded. "I have heard rumors," Edmund started slowly in a
soft tone. "That some at the Keep have been talking to certain lutin
tribes."

   "Who?" Marcia asked surprised.

   "Well Misha for one although I am sure he speaks for the Duke," Edmund
answered.

   "Misha?" came the surprised question. "That axe wielding slayer?"

   "There is more to Misha then just slaying."

   "So it seems," Max commented. "He and his scouts have been here many
times over the years."

   Marcia nodded in agreement. "And they've killed lots of Lutins as well.
Why the change? Why does the fox want to speak with the Lutins now?"

   "People change with time," the paladin answered. "He has grown tired of
the constant warfare. And so have the Lutins it seems. It was not his idea
for a truce. You see the Lutins approached Misha first. But to Misha's
credit he did readily agree to it."

   "I've heard rumors of a truce like that," the woman said. "Certainly the
Lutins have been abiding by it. No one has been killed in the few raids that
have occurred over the last few months. And the Duke did ban us from raiding
the Lutins outside the valley."

   "Unfortunately not all the tribes are involved," the paladin explained.
"But it is a start."

   "Do you believe other tribes could be enticed to join?" Max asked.

   Edmund shrugged. "No one can tell but I have high hopes."

   "What does Misha think?" Marcia asked. "If anyone would know it would be
him."

   "He is doubtful," the paladin answered. "And a little confused, but he is
honoring the truce."

   "Why didn't anyone tell us of this before?" Marcia asked. "We deserved to
know as soon as it happened."

   "The truce has only recently begun. Misha asked me inform you, since I
was already headed here," Edmund explained. 

   "I have a question," Max said. "Does this mean the lutins involved aren't
going to enter the valley at all or does it mean that they will enter and do
what they want and the two sides aren't allowed to fight?"

   Edmund nodded his head. "I believe the agreement was that we stay out of
the lutins territory and they stay out of ours."

   "How was it decided who owns what territory?" the badger asked. "Our turf
is south of the dike, what if the lutins try to dispute the borders and
claim a part of the valley?"

   "And the Duke of Metamor has controlled parts of the Giantdowns in the
past," Marcia added."

   Edmund shook his head slowly. "I don't think anyone considered that idea.
It's an unwanted complication that needs to be considered. I would think
Giants Dike would be the agreed upon border."


**************


   "Stealth!" Edmund as he walked up to his friend. The paladin held out his
hand. In it was a large envelope. "I need you to deliver this to Sir
Nestorius."

   Stealth took the envelope and examined it. The envelope was a plain white
thing with the words "Lord Nestorius" written in black ink on the front.

   He held the envelope in his hand. It was hardly a difficult delivery.
They were both in the barracks and the Manor the lion lived in was a short
walk across the courtyard.

   "I want you to deliver that to Sir Nestrius personally," Edmund ordered.
"It is for his eyes only."

   "Understood," Stealth answered. "I'll hand it to Nestorius myself."

   "Thank you Stealth. This is very important."

   The walk across the courtyard took him only a minute or two. On the
opposite site of the small courtyard tucked against the curtain wall was a
two story manor house. Built of the same, sturdy stone as the rest of the
castle it was covered with plaster and painted a bright blue. Located in the
center of the ground floor was a larger door. The blonde colored wood was
complimented by hinges of brass that had been polished to a golden gleam. On
the door in the center and at about chest high was the door knocker. This
was made in the shape of a snarling lion with the lower jaw hinged. What
caught Stealth attention was that it was made of some black metal and not
the shining brass like the rest of the doors hardware.

   Stealth grabbed hold of the brass knocker and rapped three times. The
sounds seemed to echo for a moment before fading into silence. After a long
moment the door slowly opened to reveal an older woman.

   "I have a message for Lord Nestorius . . "

   "Use the servants entrance," the woman said harshly interrupting Stealth.
She pointed off to her right.

   "But this from Sir Edmund himself for . . "

   "I said use the servants entrance," the woman snarled and shut the door
in the felines face.

   He stood there for a moment too angry to do anything. His snarled at the
closed door and the now absent servant. Then he turned and walked to the
left. After a few moments he came to a small door. It was made of dark wood
and had wrought iron hinges.

   The cheetah looked at the door for a moment. It had no knocker and he did
not like the idea of banging on the rough wood with his bare hand. He looked
around at the ground and located a small, fist sized rock. He picked up the
rock and hammered it against the door several times.

   After a long moment the door slowly opened to reveal the same woman who
had opened the front door. "What do you want?" the woman scowled.

   He took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly. "I have a letter from
Sir Edmund Delacot for Sir Nestorius."

   "LORD SENTILUS," the woman shouted. "Treat him with respect peasant."

   Stealth held up the envelope. "This is for him alone."

   The woman snatched the letter from his hand. "I'll see that he receives
it. Good day," and with those words she slammed the door shut.


*************

End part 2