A Tale of Blades & Blood-Chapter 24: The Brown Stag

[Loreys' Point of View...]

The Aely was larger than anticipated... or perhaps they added to the already monstrous fortress.

The gate was large- larger than the one at Northrest Keep. The mounts of the free lands proved to be fast, as my companions and I arrived at the first light of dawn. We did not rest, and the horses did not need such a thing. The iron gate was surrounded by two towers, high with small, thin windows, and guards overlooking from the top. The walls were fifty feet high, and the fortress was surrounded by two more walls of the same height.

The keep was the most impressive- a tall and thick tower with its base as wide as a small village that reached higher above four times the size of the wall. The barriers were thick, made of stone and iron. The stone had come from The Rock, a major city only northwest from here. Soon, the guards spot us and they arm themselves.

"Who goes there?" one of them asked aloud, treading to the edge of the tower.

"Lord Loreys of House Tiberrun requests an audience!" one of my men answered, moving his horse forward. "He sent a letter here concerning his arrival. Did your receive it?" he asked loudly. It hurt to even talk to the man atop the tower. My soldier had his neck looking straight up as the guard was high.

"Aye!" the guard replied. "Wait for the gates, soldier!" he exclaimed as he disappeared into the interior of the tower.

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Soon, the sound of metal gears and chains immerse the air like a melody as the large gate opens, revealing a second gate that opens just as slow as the first one. The ground under the arch was dry unlike the moist soil outside. My men enter the keep as we are met by five knights wearing steel armor decorated with a brown stag on their breastplates. We dismount our steeds as one man approached.

"Lord Loreys..." one of them called out, bowing his head in respect. "Lord Rolen of House Berros awaits you inside the keep. I shall escort you, my lord. It would be an honor-"

"No need." I cut him off, making my way past him as I handed him the reins of my horse. "I was raised in the Aely, kind ser. I believe I know the halls well enough." I replied, striding with long, slow steps towards the main entrance- another stone gate.

"Would you have us guard you, my lord?" one of my companions asked, his armor glimmering as the moist piled up on his iron helmet.

I did not look back. "You and your men will wait for me at the entrance to Lord Rolen's chambers..." I told him, "...just wait there and do what I tell you to." I added, entering the second gates, leaving only one large gate in our way towards the interior of the large tower.

The ground was mud, and the fog was thin but noticeable. The sounds of campfires, marching men, and chattering lords filled the air. The walls surrounded us all. How can he live in this... cage? I asked myself as we moved through gate and alley. Lord Rolen... how unlucky of you to have been named heir to The Aely.

After a few more moments of moving through hallways lit by candles and made to smell nicely by incense and passing through rooms like libraries, barracks, and even storage rooms for wine along with the tedious task of climbing stairs, we made it to the entrance to Lord Rolen's throne room.

The ceiling was high, and the voices of lords filled the atmosphere. On both sides of the room, left and right, men of power from all around The East Plains gathered and talked about deals and diplomacy and matters regarding their high lord. There were no windows inside, and on the other side of the long chamber stood four thrones, one adorned with gold while the rest were only adorned with silver and other metals less precious than gold.

A carpet led to the raised podium where they stood, and on both its sides were tall pillars that reached the high ceiling. My companions declared my presence before I set foot inside the room as the large doors swung open.

"Hear! Hear! Lord Loreys of House Tiberrun, The Third of His Name, Holder of Twinton Castle and Lord Commander of The Royal Armies, has arrived!" declared the soldier. All of them were still, their hands on the handle of their swords, and their helmets on as they focused solely on me. I made my way forward.

The small groups looked at me as I walked into the hall, my leather boots leaving faint prints of mud on the floor, and my piercing, cold gaze focused on Lord Rolen as he sat on his seat. The people chattered, some with an expression of confusion, most having one of shock, and others uneasy.

"Lord Berros!" I called aloud, reaching the base of the raised platform before being stopped by his guards, whose blades intertwined, blocking my path. It seems these men do not know who they face, I thought to myself, no matter.

"Lord Tibberun..." he began, "...what brings you to The Aely, old friend?" he asked, a smile on his face, his brown hair falling on his shoulders with his beard a mix of white and brown.

"I assume you have read my letters, my lord..." I told him. "I have sent many over the course of the campaign, and I have read your replies and have come here to discuss further matters with you." I answered, a faint smile on my face. Come down, old friend... I wanted to say, let us chatter and fight like we did before.

He stood from his throne, and smiled greatly. "What are you doing, you idiots?" he asked aloud at his guards. "This is Lord Loreys of Tiberrun for goodness' sake! Let the man pass!" he commanded. The guards exchanged looks of uncertainty, but they obey without another thought soon enough.

I made my way up the stairs, and soon I arrived in front of the aging man. "Rolen... you haven't changed a bit." I remarked, the faint smile still on my expression.

"So have you..." he replied, embracing me tight. Too far, I wished to say.

"That's enough, dear friend." I told him with a laugh. The lord held himself back, and gave a short sigh.

He looked towards the crowds gathered in his halls, and then looks at his guards. "All of you!" he called loudly, gathering their attention. "You are dismissed for the moment! Take your scrolls and leave us be. I will call you all when I am in need of your service." he ordered, and each replied with either a mumble or a coherent reply of "Yes, your grace." as they left, passing by my guards.

Rolen then changes his gaze to his wife, Lady Lerane. "Lerane, perhaps it is best for you to take the children to the dining hall for their first meal."

His wife stands up from her chair gently. "Of course." she replies, and gathers their two daughters- Lady Rolena and Lady Roanna -who were of age, to the dining hall a few chambers east from the room we were in. Soon enough, me and Rolen were alone.

"Where have you been?" he asked, making his way down the stairs. I followed behind him closely.

"Fighting the war of that Lord Folius..." I replied, "...Lord Foros' son and Lord of The Spire. The boy we trained-"

"I know the boy well enough." he said, cutting me off. "He was always an ambitious, soft cunt of a lord..." he began, remembering the memories of when we served the late Lord Foros. "What in the four regions did that fool make you do now?" he asked, walking closer and closer to the door.

I gave him a soft laugh. "The cunt's ambitious, yes..." I told him, "...but now he's gotten himself fat and lazy as well." I answered, scorning at the thought, my tone taking on a steel's sharp end. "That damned lord has been doing nothing but admiring his crown as he sits on his wooden throne that he refuses to leave..." I told him.

He stops in his tracks. "What did he do? What kind of war are you fighting? You never told me." he asked faintly, his voice concerned at the thought of what it could be.

For a moment, I hesitate. How do I tell him? I asked myself. "The boy's gone rebelling, Rolen..." I replied, "...he's forced my hand. Now, he's got forty-five thousand men from the free cities and he's ravaging The South Cradle." I said with a regretful tone. "He's gone and killed both Ballister and Ravenhan, with their sons and daughters scattered."

He stops and doesn't utter a word. His hand goes to his head slowly. "Rebellion..." he began. He said it as if it was cursed. "Rebellion?" he echoed once more, louder. He walks silently to a table on the left side of the room. There, he pours himself wine. "He's making us enemies of the crown. I thought you went and chased rebels to the south but this is... madness." he remarked, setting the wooden cup down on the table after he sips the drink.

"Aye." I told him. "He's got his head in his ass if he thinks he can defeat the Ballisters and the Gryphith forces together..." I began, walking closer to him. "All I can think of is how to stop it all." I told him. "I can't sleep over the thought-"

"Fuck him." he said loudly. "Fuck the king. Fuck the rebellion. Fuck the fucking armies!" he exclaimed as he threw the cup against the wall, shattering it into splinters and scrap. "Recklessly starting a rebellion and making the east vulnerable..." he scornfully began, "...that damn nitwit's not fit for a king- or a governor!" he remarked loudly.

"That is why I need you, Rolen..." I began as I moved to his side, my arms crossed and my hands shaped into fists. "We must put a stop to his madness. We need to act-"

"Act!?" he asked loudly. He turned to me, a piercing gaze to another. His eyes glew a faint red, like how others rumor mine does. "What do you propose we act on, Loreys!?" he asked loudly, outraged. "That boy has gone and doomed us all! We cannot rival the north and the west all at once-"

"We wont." I told him sternly, my eyes wide open. "We abandon his cause and capitalize on the chaos-"

"Capitalize?" he asked with a laugh. "How do you expect us to capitalize on this madness? It's treason to even abandon him. He'll have you executed the moment he realizes-"

"There is nobody to execute if the executioner is not alive." I stated, cutting him off, my tone cunning, and so was my expression. "If the cunt is killed... imagine the possibilities, Rolen." I urged him, a serious look on my face.

"You don't mean it..." he says, his voice now soft and faint.

"I do." I tell him. "Give me your loyal men and I'll handle the rest-"

"How do you plan to kill him when he's guarded by thousands of men?" He asked in disbelief, laughing at the thought. "Loreys..." he began, "...you lose your youth as well as your wits." he remarked with a chuckle. Careful, Rolen... I wished to say, don't insult me.

I move closer to him and whisper in his ear. "Do you think I'm the only one willing to get rid of him?" I asked softly. "No..." I told him, "...there are many others."

He thinks for a moment as I back my head away and look at him with an impatient stare. I demanded his thoughts, his opinions... his approval. "What do you plan?" he asked, interested in the idea he laughed at earlier.

I smile and open my mouth to speak. "The army marches to Ale Hall..." I told him, my lips beginning to curl into a smile. "When they take the city, those loyal to me will kill him and all those that stand in our way when we meet them in The Weslands-"

"Even the prince boy?" Rolen asked, his face anticipating my answer.

I give it a moment of thought. The prince... I thought, I never considered the prince. I tap my fingers on the table. Spare the prince. Kill his father... and keep him hostage while we find our contestant to the crown. "No..." I told him, "...keep him as a hostage while we find someone else to take the throne-"

"What?" he asks suddenly, shocked, and his hand going to his mouth as he coughs and clears his throat. "You plan to continue the rebellion?" he asked in disbelief. "You are a fool if you consider that-"

"The west is incapacitated, Rolen. They are unable to do anything with their lords and ladies of the head house dead at the wedding ambush." I remind him. Do you not know of the wedding? I wished to ask.

"Dead..." he echoed, "...all of them?"

"As dead as dead can be." I replied. "We'll figure out a king when we see someone fit to be a king-"

"Why not sue for peace?" he asked, a look of frustration on his face. "Why must we go to war and rebel-"

"Because we can!" I exclaimed. "Don't you see, Rolen? Open your eyes! We have dreamed of avenging the honor of the east ever since we were boys! This is our chance to fulfill our dreams!" I told him as I held him by his arms.

He looks at me with disapproval and shakes his head. "You fight a war... for our foolish, childish dreams?" he asks, outraged but silent in his voice.

"Not childish dreams." I told him. "How many centuries was House Berros in debt after the red kings taxed us all relentlessly? Ten centuries, Rolen!" I exclaimed, frustration also lingered in my tone now. I had to convince my old friend. "When your father died and you took on the title of Holder of The Aely, how much was your house in debt?"

He paused and thinked. "I could not count... It was too much to count..." he answered.

"Then, we must put a stop to this all!" I told him. "Those who fight for the throne are not fit to rule! Those others who challenge for the throne are not worthy kings! We have been victims of their iron rule for too long and you throw away our last chance!" I exclaimed aloud, pointing my finger at his chest.

For a long moment, it would seem that the air grew silent, and the tension finally boiled over. He took my hand and put it aside. "My friend..." he called, "...I know you are right. I would fight for your cause." he replied.

"Then do so, old friend." I urged him, my expression showing signs of emotion- real emotion. "Why stand here and go back to being a house destroyed by debts when you can make a difference?" I asked, waiting for his reply.

A second passes by... then two... then three... and my patience lowers more and more. "For decades, I've seen you as a brother..." he began, "...yet now, I am worried that I can no longer see your thoughts." he told me, his tone was worried, and his expression filled with confusion and regret with a touch of sorrow. "You would risk your life and reputation for the chance to change our suffering and fulfill our foolish dreams?" he asked.

With a long breath and a great sigh, I answer him. "I would die to avenge our people- wronged by those cunts of kings..." I began, "...and I would die to save our realm from the likes of us that bring only madness." I told him, confident in my answer. "So, Lord Rolen of House Berros... will you join my cause for the throne?"