[Mkguild] MK - New Beginings part 4

[Christian Okane]

Here is part 4!  Enjoy!

Chris
The Lurking Fox


   "Here are your own quarters." Nestorius opened the door and the two
stepped inside. He found himself in a good sized room with a desk in one
corner, a table in the center and chairs scattered about. On one wall was a
large bookcase and a door. Opening the door Dupré found a small bedroom
containing a large curtained bed and a small wardrobe.

   Dupré looked around the room that was now his home. A disconsolate pang
struck his heart as he dwelt on that thought.  His new home.  He thought
back to the stone vaults and tapestries of Mallow Horn briefly, and of the
children still living there who would never see their father again.  He
grunted and with a quick shake of his head, dispelled such unpleasant
thoughts. "I am surprised. I did not expect such luxurious quarters for a
simple military commander."

   "As a nobleman you deserve some comfort and as the military commander
here," Nestorius commented. "This outer room will be your office for
planning and for all those annoying administrative duties that go with
leadership. As such it has all you might need," he pointed to the book case.
“I gave you a good selection of books on the subject and such maps of the
valley and Giantdowns as I have."

   The ram nodded his head. "I am grateful for these spacious accommodations
but I am eager to see all of my command." Nestorius certainly was not a
military man if he had such disdain for details.  A successful command, a
successful army, all of them ran on a mastery of details.  He now strongly
suspected he would find several weaknesses in their defenses in the weeks to
come.

   "Of course," the feline say. "I have arraigned for the town guard and our
infantry company to assemble in the courtyard. Well half of them. The rest
are on duty."

    "What of those troops? How many are there?" William asked.

   "There are fifty regular infantry assigned here and the town guard has
fifty seven members," Marcia said.

   There was a soft knock on the door.

   "Enter," Nestorius said loudly.

   The door opened and a young, female morph keeper entered. This person was
a sheep morph and had the grayish white wool and black face of a
domesticated species of sheep. She was wearing a dress of dark blue with
white flowers printed on it. The ewe woman curtsied to Nestorius. "You asked
for me sir?"

   "Blanche," Nestorius said cheerfully. "Thank you for coming." The feline
pointed to William. "This is sir William Dupré the new military commander."

   The black lion turned to William but pointed to the ewe. "This is Blanche
Cartwright. She will be your servant."

   Blanche curtsied to the ram. "Sir William. It's an honor."

   The ram bowed to her and they both stood up. William noticed that she was
thinner then he was but of the same height. He also noticed that she was
silver earrings and her dress was clean and had been recently pressed. The
ewe had gotten dressed up for this meeting. "Thank you, Blanche.  My needs
will be simple. I will be busy leading the troops here and I will depend on
your help to keep my small home."

   "I'll do my best," Blanche answered.

   "Thank you," William said earnestly. "That will be all for now."

   Nestorius waited till Blanche had left before speaking again. "As to
Hareford itself," the lion said and walked over to the table. He unraveled a
large scroll and revealed a map of the town. "This is Hareford. It's built
on an old Suielman fortress. The walls are made of stone and brick and are
twelve feet wide and twenty feet tall. There are fourteen towers in the wall
and two gates. There were four but two have been filled in. Now only the
east and south gates are used. The entire fortress is surrounded by a deep
ditch twenty feet wide and fifteen feet deep."

  William slowly drew his hand across the map examining each detail closely.
"How large an area is inside the walls."

   "The area inside the walls covers 9 acres. Most of it is now filled with
buildings. All the streets are paved and with excellent drainage and
sewers," he said proudly. "Those Seuilman drains that did not survive we
rebuilt. I've seen to it that myself."

   "You said that two gates have been filled in? Are there only the two
gates?" William asked. "I see four marked on the map."

   "At one time there were four gates and those four towers are still
present," the mage explained. "But the north and west gates have been filled
in very solidly and there is no way over the ditch at those places."

   Nestorius pointed to a group of small hills and mounds off to the north.
"These features are not natural. At least two of them are grave barrows and
are protected by magic."

   "Are they a problem? I do not wish to deal with the undead," the ram
said.  He'd had to deal with far too much unpleasant magic already in his
life.  

   The lion mage shook his head making his mane shake. "No, the only magic
on them is preservation and protection. They are safe so long as no one
tries to dig them up. I am telling you this in strict secrecy. No one knows
they are tombs but me and you."

   "I understand. I do not bother the dead so long as they do not bother
me," Dupré answered.

   "There must be something special about the place as both the lutins and
Keepers bury their dead there," Nestorius explained.

   “The lutins bury there? So close to the town?" William asked.

   "The town was twice overrun by lutins and for several years inhabited
only by them," the mage commented. "And during that time they took to
burying their dead on that hill. When we retook the town we continued the
habit. The new burials do not seem to disturb the older ones thankfully but
I am keeping a careful watch."

 "What of the other mounds? What are they?" Dupré asked as he traced the
lines of one mound that seemed to resemble a coiled snake.

   The mage shrugged. "I am not sure. I believe at least one had a
ceremonial purpose as it seems to be shaped like a snake. I think it might
be Tened in construction and could be several hundred thousand years old."

   "Who are the Tened?"

   "They were a primitive reptilian race who have been extinct for a long
time. Very little is really known about them, they were, perhaps, distant
relatives of dragons. It is known that there was at least one Tened
settlement here in the valley, close to the mountains and caves. There is no
need to worry about what the Tened. There is no magic there. At least none
that is detectable. Someday when there is more time I want to more fully
explore that place. But that will have to wait for safer times in the
future.

   "As for the towns defenders. Every tower has a single soldier standing
guard while sentries patrol the wall walk in-between," Nestorius explained.

   William winced. "That is painfully thin."

   "Agreed but I have supplemented them with my own magic," the feline mage
explained. "Also George's scouts patrol the area outside extensively. But I
am glad you've brought more infantry."

   "We can double the sentries on the walls and gates," Dupré commented.
"And push out our own foot patrols as well in addition to the cavalry."

   The lion nodded as his tail whipped back and forth. "Good. We will also
have the usual monthly rotation of troops serving their feudal obligation
here. The size varies between fifty and one hundred and fifty each."

   "Their quality?"

   The feline shrugged. "Mixed. Some good, some bad but most somewhere in
between. I would not depend too much on their dedication and zeal. Most just
wish to finish and go home."

   The ram nodded. "I've seen that behavior before in feudal levies. They
will be good for guard duty till I make them understand what their duties
entail," he said forcefully in the tones of a real soldier.

   Nestorius smiled revealing a muzzled filled with long, sharp teeth.
"Good. They have long ago stopped listening to my threats and demands."

   "What of the surrounding area?" William questioned. "What is that like?"

   "There are three villages I have the privilege to command in the name of
the Duke; Aglador, Caoraigh and Truskmore. The main crops grown here are
corn, wheat and other grains also there are several orchards growing apples.
I introduced sheep five years ago at Misha Brightleaf's suggestion and they
seem to be doing well."

   "I'd like to see the walls themselves," William commented without taking
his eyes off the map.

   "Of course. That is the best way to see the town."

End part 4


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