The Conquest of Silverclaw Valley (open)
Dec 29, 2016 21:11:06 GMT
Post by Kaelen Silverblood on Dec 29, 2016 21:11:06 GMT
Location: Postern Fortress
Everything seemed to be bleak and desperate. The guard before them tripped as he began to lead the way. Kaelen's fists clenched as he looked at it all. His spell was keeping the horror of the situation from effecting him and the others who had come with him, but it didn't stop his anger. Those in the position of a ruler should never allow this kind of situation to arise. It was the duty of the lord to care for his people, even at the expense of his own family. Even if that meant leaving the third son with little resources that was not meant to feed and cloth them just so more resources could go to their charges. That was what a lord should be like, not what this baron was doing to leave people in this state.
Kaelen nodded to Taryc Alcor after she motioned towards the guardsman. He might kill this Baron right now. Just sever his head from his shoulders with no care of what might happen afterwards. Would there be anything that would happen? Where these people even loyal still to someone who would allow them to starve and be pushed to a state of extreme exhaustion? It was a surprise they were not rioting in the streets. His head should be up on a pike in the square with rocks being thrown at it. That is what should be happening right now, but it was not. Kaelen would have to see that changed.
"Let us go then Red. If I draw my sword though, worry about keeping yourself alive. You will get your pay even if I die." Kaelen said as he willed his hands to relax. A frown was furrowed deep on his face as he looked towards the fortress keep. "A Storm begins, the Myst marches ever forward."
Kaelen then began to follow the guard with metallic boots ringing out. Each step filled with more and more frustration. A child sat by her mother crying. Promises were given to help clean the house every day. She said she would always make her bed and help her mother make her bed too. She promised to help with dinner and to learn to sew so she could help with the clothes. Her eyes had turned red as barely produced tears threatened to freeze to her face. Only the natural salt within them kept them from it. Her dress was as filthy as the jacket over it. All of this was said to her mother who was slumped against a wall with lifeless eyes half open and the color fully faded from her skin.
Hands clenched yet again into fists. Kaelen felt the storm within him growing larger and larger. This should never be allowed. No child should be begging their parent to come back to life by promising away their childhood. He had to stop. If he ignored this little girl, if he ignored this moment, he would never be able to forgive himself nor would the gods. He had forgotten about the mercenary with him right now and about the guard before him. All he cared about was seeing to this child. He walked over to her and kneeled down so he was closer to eye level with her.
"Let your mother rest. She needs to sleep right now." Kaelen said in as soothing of a voice as he could muster. "Look at me. Just look at me right now."
The girl looked up to Kaelen with tear filled eyes. Her face was gaunt and she looked as close to death's doors as her own mother was. He didn't know how this little girl was still able to keep going right now. She kept glancing at her mother. She had gone completely silent as she looked to Kaelen. Kaelen tried to smile to her, but he could only produce one filled with sadness. He said to her, "Are you hungry?"
The girl just looked at Kaelen. She just remained silent as she stared at him as if he was some kind of bizarre creature she had never seen before. He asked again, "Are you hungry?"
The girl nodded to him slowly. She seemed as if she didn't understand what he was saying to her, only that she should agree. Kaelen reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a travel ration. It was a piece of hard, dry bread. He broke off a piece of it that was about a bite's size then handed it over to her. She stared at it. Her eyes widened as if she was staring at the rarest jewel in all the world. She looked back up to Kaelen with a questioning look. She didn't know if it was okay for her to accept such a treasure. He just smiled to her and held it out more for her to take. She reached slowly at first then snatched it up as quickly as he bony fingers could. She put it into her mouth and ate it vigorously, as if she was scared it would just disappear if she didn't.
Kaelen watched as the girl held her hand out for more. He broke off another piece and placed it in her palm. She ate it as quickly as before. He began to break her off pieces and handed them to her as he said, "Do you have a father? Siblings?"
The girl nodded as she ate. He asked again, "Are they hungry too?" She nodded yet again. He said, "You can have the rest of this bread all for yourself, but the others I give you need to go to your family. Understand?"
The girl nodded to him yet again. Kaelen handed her the piece of bread he had been breaking apart. She took it and began to eat it as he reached back into his pouch. He pulled out what was left of his travel rations, two more pieces of the hard, dry bread. He waited for her to finish her meal then handed them to her. She held onto them and stared at them. Her stomach growled softly as she did. Kaelen said, "Take them to your family. Tell them about your mother sleeping here. She will be fine, so get going."
The girl just stared at Kaelen for a moment before turning to look at her mother. She then turned to look at Kaelen again before hiding the bread away. She stood up and began to run off into the fortress city. Kaelen watched until she was gone then made sure to close the mother's eyes completely. He stood up and turned to the guard who just stared at him in utter confusion. He said, "Take me to the Baron, immediately." The guard just stared for a moment before he began to lead them once more towards the fortress hall.
Everything seemed to be bleak and desperate. The guard before them tripped as he began to lead the way. Kaelen's fists clenched as he looked at it all. His spell was keeping the horror of the situation from effecting him and the others who had come with him, but it didn't stop his anger. Those in the position of a ruler should never allow this kind of situation to arise. It was the duty of the lord to care for his people, even at the expense of his own family. Even if that meant leaving the third son with little resources that was not meant to feed and cloth them just so more resources could go to their charges. That was what a lord should be like, not what this baron was doing to leave people in this state.
Kaelen nodded to Taryc Alcor after she motioned towards the guardsman. He might kill this Baron right now. Just sever his head from his shoulders with no care of what might happen afterwards. Would there be anything that would happen? Where these people even loyal still to someone who would allow them to starve and be pushed to a state of extreme exhaustion? It was a surprise they were not rioting in the streets. His head should be up on a pike in the square with rocks being thrown at it. That is what should be happening right now, but it was not. Kaelen would have to see that changed.
"Let us go then Red. If I draw my sword though, worry about keeping yourself alive. You will get your pay even if I die." Kaelen said as he willed his hands to relax. A frown was furrowed deep on his face as he looked towards the fortress keep. "A Storm begins, the Myst marches ever forward."
Kaelen then began to follow the guard with metallic boots ringing out. Each step filled with more and more frustration. A child sat by her mother crying. Promises were given to help clean the house every day. She said she would always make her bed and help her mother make her bed too. She promised to help with dinner and to learn to sew so she could help with the clothes. Her eyes had turned red as barely produced tears threatened to freeze to her face. Only the natural salt within them kept them from it. Her dress was as filthy as the jacket over it. All of this was said to her mother who was slumped against a wall with lifeless eyes half open and the color fully faded from her skin.
Hands clenched yet again into fists. Kaelen felt the storm within him growing larger and larger. This should never be allowed. No child should be begging their parent to come back to life by promising away their childhood. He had to stop. If he ignored this little girl, if he ignored this moment, he would never be able to forgive himself nor would the gods. He had forgotten about the mercenary with him right now and about the guard before him. All he cared about was seeing to this child. He walked over to her and kneeled down so he was closer to eye level with her.
"Let your mother rest. She needs to sleep right now." Kaelen said in as soothing of a voice as he could muster. "Look at me. Just look at me right now."
The girl looked up to Kaelen with tear filled eyes. Her face was gaunt and she looked as close to death's doors as her own mother was. He didn't know how this little girl was still able to keep going right now. She kept glancing at her mother. She had gone completely silent as she looked to Kaelen. Kaelen tried to smile to her, but he could only produce one filled with sadness. He said to her, "Are you hungry?"
The girl just looked at Kaelen. She just remained silent as she stared at him as if he was some kind of bizarre creature she had never seen before. He asked again, "Are you hungry?"
The girl nodded to him slowly. She seemed as if she didn't understand what he was saying to her, only that she should agree. Kaelen reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a travel ration. It was a piece of hard, dry bread. He broke off a piece of it that was about a bite's size then handed it over to her. She stared at it. Her eyes widened as if she was staring at the rarest jewel in all the world. She looked back up to Kaelen with a questioning look. She didn't know if it was okay for her to accept such a treasure. He just smiled to her and held it out more for her to take. She reached slowly at first then snatched it up as quickly as he bony fingers could. She put it into her mouth and ate it vigorously, as if she was scared it would just disappear if she didn't.
Kaelen watched as the girl held her hand out for more. He broke off another piece and placed it in her palm. She ate it as quickly as before. He began to break her off pieces and handed them to her as he said, "Do you have a father? Siblings?"
The girl nodded as she ate. He asked again, "Are they hungry too?" She nodded yet again. He said, "You can have the rest of this bread all for yourself, but the others I give you need to go to your family. Understand?"
The girl nodded to him yet again. Kaelen handed her the piece of bread he had been breaking apart. She took it and began to eat it as he reached back into his pouch. He pulled out what was left of his travel rations, two more pieces of the hard, dry bread. He waited for her to finish her meal then handed them to her. She held onto them and stared at them. Her stomach growled softly as she did. Kaelen said, "Take them to your family. Tell them about your mother sleeping here. She will be fine, so get going."
The girl just stared at Kaelen for a moment before turning to look at her mother. She then turned to look at Kaelen again before hiding the bread away. She stood up and began to run off into the fortress city. Kaelen watched until she was gone then made sure to close the mother's eyes completely. He stood up and turned to the guard who just stared at him in utter confusion. He said, "Take me to the Baron, immediately." The guard just stared for a moment before he began to lead them once more towards the fortress hall.
=================================
The doors to the Keep were finally before Kaelen. His spell would have finally faded by now, but his anger had not. It had only hardened into a deadly edge after the girl had left. A lord or lady in Mystmarch who did this to their people would not be allowed to rule much longer. Was the King of Silverclaw so weak that Barons could do as they pleased with no fear of punishment? By now it didn't matter what the answer was. Kaelen was going to free this place of its ruler and then he was going to continue his march towards the other barons. If they were as bad as this one was, then he would see the people freed from their rule as well.
Kaelen just looked at the door as it slowly opened up. Behind it was a man in good health wearing fine clothing. He bowed slightly as he met the pair. He said, "Greetings. Baron Melcap has been informed of your arrival, but is not able to meet with you immediately. If you will follow me, I will take you to a room you can wait in until he is ready for you."
A frown and a nod was all this man was met with from Kaelen. His emerald eyes filled with purpose as he followed behind the man into the keep. It was decorated with imported rugs running down the stone floors and tapestries hung along the walls. Silver and gold vases, bowls, and candle sticks sat on furniture of rare woods. Incense was burning all around that made the place smell of flowers and spring. It all spoke of wealth and riches that was going towards the Baron's home instead of going to the people starving in the streets. Postern was a place of silversmiths in a valley rich in silver, granite, and salt. These resources were worth a lot of money to people outside of the valley for a long ways. There should be no shortage of anything for the people, and yet it looked more like a city in a poor nation outside these walls.
Kaelen stopped as he saw a particular candlestick sitting on a table. He walked over to it and looked at it. The silver was pure and worked with etchings of vines and roots. A knot without a beginning or an end was at the top of it near where the candle was held. He reached down and picked it up off of the table. As he did, the man rushed over saying, "Please put that back! Baron Melcap does not allow for his possessions to be handled by anyone other than himself or his trusted polishers."
"This candlestick was not crafted locally was it." Kaelen said in a voice that was calmer than you would expect.
"No it was not. It is imported from some other city. I could not say where, but it is more expensive than what the filth in the city make. Now put it back." The man said with a frown.
Kaelen set it down. He knew where it was from. It was from the silversmiths in Silverhearth, his family's home. The Baron did not appreciate his own people's crafts. He imported silver goods when his own smiths could do the same for a fraction of the price. Kaelen wasn't even surprised by this point. He wasn't, but he didn't plan to leave any Mystmarch silver left in this Keep when he was done. This Baron didn't deserve it.
They were finally lead into a room with as much wealth as the hallways within it. A couch with several pillows on it sat near one wall as a day bed was on the other. It was clearly designed to house guests for periods of time while the Baron got ready for them. The man let them into the room then wordlessly closed the door. He locked it from the outside, leaving them stuck within there. The only way out now was to destroy the heavy, wooden door.
Kaelen just looked around the room slowly. He had no plans to leave it until they were summoned to meet the Baron. Let the man formulate his plans on how to try and manipulate his guests into helping him. No doubt the touching of his precious imported silver would come up as well. He walked over to the couch. He got his sword's sheath unbelted and set nearby. He sat down on the couch and then looked to the mercenary.
"Well seems we are going to have to kill some time. Anything you want to do or talk about while we are here?" Kaelen said as he attempted to calm himself down. He was still worked up despite having decided what he planned to do already. The state of the city, the condition of the people, the wealth within the Keep. He knew he was in a different land, but that didn't mean the basic duties of rule were suspended. He was going to remind this Baron of what it meant to be in charge of people.
Kaelen just looked at the door as it slowly opened up. Behind it was a man in good health wearing fine clothing. He bowed slightly as he met the pair. He said, "Greetings. Baron Melcap has been informed of your arrival, but is not able to meet with you immediately. If you will follow me, I will take you to a room you can wait in until he is ready for you."
A frown and a nod was all this man was met with from Kaelen. His emerald eyes filled with purpose as he followed behind the man into the keep. It was decorated with imported rugs running down the stone floors and tapestries hung along the walls. Silver and gold vases, bowls, and candle sticks sat on furniture of rare woods. Incense was burning all around that made the place smell of flowers and spring. It all spoke of wealth and riches that was going towards the Baron's home instead of going to the people starving in the streets. Postern was a place of silversmiths in a valley rich in silver, granite, and salt. These resources were worth a lot of money to people outside of the valley for a long ways. There should be no shortage of anything for the people, and yet it looked more like a city in a poor nation outside these walls.
Kaelen stopped as he saw a particular candlestick sitting on a table. He walked over to it and looked at it. The silver was pure and worked with etchings of vines and roots. A knot without a beginning or an end was at the top of it near where the candle was held. He reached down and picked it up off of the table. As he did, the man rushed over saying, "Please put that back! Baron Melcap does not allow for his possessions to be handled by anyone other than himself or his trusted polishers."
"This candlestick was not crafted locally was it." Kaelen said in a voice that was calmer than you would expect.
"No it was not. It is imported from some other city. I could not say where, but it is more expensive than what the filth in the city make. Now put it back." The man said with a frown.
Kaelen set it down. He knew where it was from. It was from the silversmiths in Silverhearth, his family's home. The Baron did not appreciate his own people's crafts. He imported silver goods when his own smiths could do the same for a fraction of the price. Kaelen wasn't even surprised by this point. He wasn't, but he didn't plan to leave any Mystmarch silver left in this Keep when he was done. This Baron didn't deserve it.
They were finally lead into a room with as much wealth as the hallways within it. A couch with several pillows on it sat near one wall as a day bed was on the other. It was clearly designed to house guests for periods of time while the Baron got ready for them. The man let them into the room then wordlessly closed the door. He locked it from the outside, leaving them stuck within there. The only way out now was to destroy the heavy, wooden door.
Kaelen just looked around the room slowly. He had no plans to leave it until they were summoned to meet the Baron. Let the man formulate his plans on how to try and manipulate his guests into helping him. No doubt the touching of his precious imported silver would come up as well. He walked over to the couch. He got his sword's sheath unbelted and set nearby. He sat down on the couch and then looked to the mercenary.
"Well seems we are going to have to kill some time. Anything you want to do or talk about while we are here?" Kaelen said as he attempted to calm himself down. He was still worked up despite having decided what he planned to do already. The state of the city, the condition of the people, the wealth within the Keep. He knew he was in a different land, but that didn't mean the basic duties of rule were suspended. He was going to remind this Baron of what it meant to be in charge of people.