One Brief Shining Moment

[Calarion Sapherior]

It took Sir Tinian some time to track down the others. Owls hooted about him, insects chirped and scurried and in the sky, a full moon gleamed between the clouds. There was no sign of Sir Gaius, and none of Sir John or Sir Aldrydd either. He kept searching, absolutely exhausted, when he saw something most peculiar... a horse's bridle, saddles, and shoes. The trees nearby had traces of dried blood, but there was no sign of the horse. Continuing along a short way, he found more blood in a small glade, along with sundered chainmail and helmets, broken weapons, and more bridles and saddles. He could see the marks in the soil of feet and of hooves. Doing a quick count, Sir Tinian could count three sets of fallen equipment for knights, and two for horses. But of the men themselves, there was no sign.

There were also two pairs of footprints leading from the strange scene.

[Anarion]

Tinian gulped and took a closer look around the clearing. He didn't recognize any of the equipment lying upon the ground. It certainly didn't belong to his friends. It was strange, three sets of equipment with no owners, yet only two prints leaving, and those prints were the marks of booted feet. He counted six boots. So five at least had been there. He presumed from the amount of blood that some of them had been slain. But where were the bodies. And where were his friends? It was all surreal. Supernatural even. Tinian crossed himself furiously. There was no choice. He left the bloody glade and followed the tracks. Perhaps they would lead to something.

[Calarion Sapherior]

After a short way, Sir Tinian found more sets of prints joining the others: many prints, some mounted and some on foot. He continued to follow these, and found the squires on their rouncies: Bran, Lardans, Bruce and Reynold. With them was Sir John. He looked very pale and was covered in dried blood, and slowly snored as he slept in the saddle of his warhorse Asfalon, which was being led by Lardans. The squires were pleased to see Sir Tinian, and explained that they had failed to escape Levcomagus earlier: instead they had hidden as a group, and slipped out when the Steward's eye was fixed upon the knights.

"They are saying that you murdered three knights!" Bran said.

[Anarion]

Tinian nodded without surprise. "They would say that, the bastard sons of she-devils," he said. He looked at Bran and Bruce. "I have not found sign of Sir Aldrydd or Sir Gaius. I lost them in the woods," he said regretfully. "And as for Sir John I am glad you have found him, we must get him to safety as soon as possible." Tinian assumed the lead, but he could not increase the pace for fear of John's safety. He tried to keep a wary eye out.

OOC: first safe place in Salisbury we can reach and/or border patrol.

[Calarion Sapherior]

It is not long before the group emerged at the Bourne River valley. There were many farms there, and so Sir Tinian roused a farmer, who put the group up for the night. Sir John was given a bed, as he was grievously injured, and the farmer's wife worked on binding his wounds. The rest of the group crowded into the stables to wait for the dawn.

ooc: Chirurgery received successfully.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Alain arrived at Sarum late that night. He had to hail the gate guards for admission, but he was soon let in and he rode up to the main castle. The Earl was asleep, but when Alain mentioned that he came from Levcomagus, the Earl was soon roused. Alain shivered as a cold wind swept around him, but told Earl Roderick all that had happened: the presence of the Saxon saddle, and how the Steward dispatched knights to kill them. The Earl did not react violently, as Alain might have expected: instead he persed his lips thoughtfully. "So Levcomagus is colluding with the Saxons. This is not enough to bring before the King. In the morning, I will summon a council of war, and you can tell this to them. Salisbury will decide what to do with this canker."

Sir Gaius arrived much later that night. Recognising Alain's horse Aurora in the stable, he knew that the message had safely arrived.

[Krusader]

Sir Gaius sighed in relief and asked for a place to sleep, after the horses had been taken care of. When he woke up the next day, he attended the war meeting. While he wanted to go after the others, he knew it would be folly to do so during the night.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Aldrydd awoke suddenly. He could remember the hideous impact, and feel the axe's head cleaving into the bone of his skull. He shuddered, and raised a hand to his head, finding not even the trace of a scar. He looked about him: he was lying on a hard wooden bed in a strange earthen room. Looking up, he could see a hole in the roof of the cavern, where the light of the full moon illuminated the cave. He looked about the room; it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but when they did, he screamed in horror. Tree roots hung down from the ceiling of the cavern, and each of them was twined about a dismembered body part, human or animal. Arms, legs, haunches, ribs, and heads. He could see the head of the axeman who he thought had slain him, still attached to the torso; blood was streaked all over it, and the tree-roots were entangled in the bare bones of the rib-cage. There was no sign of the stomach or arms or legs of the body.

Then a withered hand reached out of the darkness and fastened around the head's jawbone. With a tug, it came free, leaving the knight's bare tongue exposed. The hand withdrew to the shadows, and there was a hideous slurping and crunching noise. Aldrydd screamed again in abject terror.

"Now, now, don't cry, baby," a terrible crooning voice said from the darkness. "You've nothing to fear from me,"

A horrible form stepped into the light. It was a woman, but so withered and hideous that Aldrydd thought he might pass out, and dressed in black spiderweb rags. In one taloned hand she gripped the axeman's jawbone, and she tore at it with yellow teeth, shredding skin and flesh and gristle off it with relish. Blood dribbled down its warty chin.

"Why, I have to thank you, my poppet," the terrifying apparition said. "After all, you've stocked my larder oh so well."

A strange transformation came over the fiendish being as it continued to eat. The spots upon her skin faded. The wrinkles in her face began to smooth out, and her breasts rose and became firmer. She cast the jawbone aside and seized the tongue next. It stretched and then tore out, and she crammed it into her now white-toothed mouth, slurping it up until it disappeared into her red-lipped mouth. After the tongue, she tore the skin from the face, and finally popped out each eye. Her body continued to become younger and younger as she ate, until there were no signs of the old hag: instead, drenched in gore, there stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, her rags scandalous over her body.



"You see, my angel," she said, her voice now beautiful and mellifluous, suiting her changed nature, "I can only feed upon that which dies of violence in my woods, and so I have you to thank for years and years of youth. So, in exchange, I have decided to restore your life to you! Your horse is waiting outside, and you are free to go."

One delicate, bloody hand was placed upon Sir Aldrydd's chest, forcing him down. "However, as you are a good knight and true, I demand an oath from you. One day, I will come to you, and I will ask a favour from you. And you will do whatever it is I ask of you, anything at all. If you refuse me..." she smiled demurely; but the innocence which she affected was lost by the horrible gleam in her eyes, ancient through time out of mind.

"That which was granted can be taken away," she purred.

[cidracin]

Aldryyd was revolted by this thing that was in front of him. He was glad to be breathing but this did not seem right and he was trying his best to kepp his wits about him. "I doubht that you would just let me go. Surely there is something that you are not telling me some condition that you are hiding? What is to stop me from leaving here and returning later to kill you?"

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Ahh, do not trouble your pretty little head about that, my boy," the unholy creature cooed. "I will have your word of honour, after all. And what makes you so sure that you could find your way back here again, or that your little toys could harm such a one as I?"

[cidracin]

"Your oath has no mention about your safety from me witch and if you are as powerful as you claim then you should have no fear of me? Now I'll ask you once more witch what are you not telling me? Where is my companion John and what have you done with him? What could one so powerful want of someone like me. Give me answers." Aldrydd said trying to keep his voice as confident as possible.

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Now, now, you are in no position to argue, my petal," the beautiful creature said. "Remember - what was given can be taken away." The delicate fingers flat upon Sir Aldrydd's chest flexed so that they looked as if they were holding something. The sharp nails gouged shallow but bloody furrows into his skin. Sir Aldrydd tensed as he felt a horrible, agonizing pain inside his chest; his heart had stopped beating.

"It is simplicity itself, my dove. Swear an oath to do the task that I shall ask of you, as a true knight should for his lady fair."

[cidracin]

Aldrydd seemed to have but no choice at the moment to agree to the witch's oath. "Fine, I Aldrydd of Winterbourne Stokes swear to you, upon pain of death, to do thee one task of thy bidding when you ask it of me." Aldrydd felt sickened saying the words. "There I have sworn, now what is your name so that when you come to call upon me I will know it is you and not some other fey being."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Ah, my lamb, it pleases me to hear you say it. But names have power! You'll know me... oh, you'll know me."

Again she restrained Aldrydd as he was about to rise. "You kept asking about how I knew you would not betray me? I feel I must have some surety of your word, my doll! Hold still..."

Her left hand clamped down over Sir Aldrydd's head, and her right hand she drove into his open mouth and down his throat. There was a sudden stab of pain, and Aldrydd thought that he might surely pass out from the agony. Quickly, she withdrew her hand. Between her fingers was a small, soft, wet, red glistening thing. She opened her mouth and popped it in, and then closed her eyes in sensuous pleasure. "Such a sweet taste..."

"You'll find the stairs out over there," she indicated. "Farewell, my lamb."

[cidracin]

Aldrydd rose from the bed where he had been lying and bean to head for the stairwell. Upon reaching the head of the stairs without turning to the now youthful and beuatiful witch he said, "It brings me some comfort to know you fear me enough that you are so frightened of me that you will not give your name." With that he continued down the stairs and out of the witchs lair. Outside he found all of his gear, which suprisignly included his weapons, and his faithful horse Aldo. He dressed quickly into his clothes and procedded to climb into Aldo's saddle intent on finding his way back to Sarum and Salisbury. He was intent on memorizing every part of his return journey throught the woods.

OOC: If anyone was wondering what the witch pulled out of Aldrydd it was his appendix. Also I thought of a number of ideas on how to get out of this deal. The stupidest of which was to try to seduce her like I believe James Bond would have. Needless to say that plan had no chance of sucess though Cal thought it was funny.

[Calarion Sapherior]

The next day was Tuesday, and it was raining. The Earl summoned his councilors, who were due to arrive that afternoon. A chamber in the castle was prepared for the conference. Throughout the day, visitors arrived at Sarum Castle: Sir Elad, the marshall; Sir Hywell, the banneret of East Lavington; Sir Amig of Tilshead; Sir Jaradan, who had been appointed Earl Roderick's personal champion that winter; Bishop Roger,the Bishop of Salisbury; eyepatched Sir Lycus; tattooed Sir Leo; and the immensely muscled Sir Bar. The knights sent to Levcomagus also appeared throughout the day: Sir Tinian and Sir John first, and then finally Sir Aldrydd.

When everyone had arrived, the council convened. "Sir Tinian, Sir John, Sir Aldrydd, Sir Gaius, Squire Alain: please tell everyone what happened in Levcomagus," the Earl said.

[Anarion]

Sir Tinian stepped forward. As leader of the party he felt obliged to speak first. "My lord, and honored councillors, as you know we were sent to Levcomagus to deliver a message of warning on behalf of Earl Roderick." He opened tactfully, taking the dishonor out of the Earl's deeds. "So we did, being intercepted at the border of Silchester by one of their patrols. Nonetheless, Earl Roderick's message and his tokens were given, though not well received." He relayed Sir Rhisiart's insulting response in detail.

"Then while we mounted to return home, Sir Gaius noticed that the Steward was entertaining Saxon guests. However our astonishment was noted and we were pursued out of the city, leaving our squires in hiding to escape while the attention was on us. We knew that Squire Alain is both the swiftest and best rider of us so we sent him on with the news while the rest of us tried to lose the pursuit in the woods. For my part I was successful but found myself alone so I turned around to find the others." He carried on relaying his search of the strange battle scene and the mystery of the glade and his finding of the squires and Sir John.

"I will leave the others to tell their part of the tale," he concluded.

[Prince_Asuryan]

Leaning forward, John retold his part of the tale.

'Everything was as Sir Tinian said. However, during our flight through the wood, I was struck from my horse alongside Sir Aldryyd. We fought and killed three of our pursuers while the rest chased Sir Tinian and Sir Gaius. Sir Aldryyd I thought gravely injured, and I must have passed out from my injuries as I awoke to find myself in a farmers home with our squires and Sir Tinian.'

John bowed his head in acknowledgment to the help his friend had given him.


OOC: I need the details from my passed Intrigue roll.

And what's my current state of health please

[cidracin]

Aldrydd was the next to speak about the events of Levcomagus, he told odf the presenting of the heads to the Steward, the knights flight from the city though he made it clear that he did not wholly understand the reasons behind the flight though only that it had to do with Saxons. Of these events he spoke naught but the complete truth. It was only when he came to the combat in the woods that his tale began to diverge from the truth. "Once we entered the woods John and I were flung from our saddles and were caught by two of the traitorous Levcomagus bastards who ordered us to throw down our weapons. We decidedto fight themeven though they were mounted and we were upon foot. I managed to kill the mounted knight who i had been fighting, cut the traitorious scum in half. But then a third opponent came through the woods with an axe and managed to land a blow upon my helm and what combat occured after that I can only guess for the blow left me unconcious. The blow was serious but certainly not grave as you can see I am here talking to you in this hall. The first thing I remember was finding myself alone in the forest with the exception of my horse Aldo. Of Sir John I could determine nothing in the dark and though at the time I had still recover from the blow to my head. How I got where I was I have no idea though perhaps I am unable remember due to all the tramua to my head. I then spent the rest of my time trying to it out of that damned wood and make my way back to Sarum. I must confess I have no knowledge of our traitorious foes fates. When I awoke it was in full gear and with Aldo at my side, perhaps I rode him there before passing out again. Though all I can do is speculate. I was hoping that one of my companions would be able to give me more information on what happened to me." Aldrydd finished while wearing the his most honest face, hoping that he had lied well enough to keep away too much suspicion. He doubhted that anyone would look deeper into his tale with much effort at this council for it was one of war. Aldrydd was still unsure if he would even tell his closest friends about the witch let alone his lord.

[Krusader]

Sir Gaius recounted his tale after Aldrydd. He told about the journey to Levcomagus, the presentation of the message and then when the Saxon saddle was discovered. He then told about the flight and how he had decided to split off from Tinian to increase the chances of someone reaching Sarum. He also mentioned his slaying of his foe and riding all night to Sarum and the relief seeing that Alain had reached the Earl already. He emphasised his surprise and disgust at seeing Saxons being treated as guests at Levcomagus and that it was done in so open a fashion. With the squire's reaction it was clear as daylight to Gaius the nobles of Levcomagus knew perfectly well that Saxons were their lord's allies.

OOC: Gaius wishes to sell one horse.

[Calarion Sapherior]

ooc: What you know from the Intrigue roll is this: Earl Roderick and Sir Rhisiart both sought the hand of Lady Ellen of Rydychan. She preferred the Stewart, but Earl Roderick was the one who married her (an Earl being a better match than a Steward). Ever since then, Sir Rhisiart has hated Earl Roderick. John has 9 wounds left and needs chirurgery for a week or two.

"I don't know whether I'm more concerned about the Saxons or these supernatural goings-on in the Chute Forest," Sir Leo said, and Bishop Roger nodded.

Sir Elad shook his head. "Any devilry in the forest has been there long before us, and will be there long after, too. The Saxons are our concern. Do you know anything about the nature of the meeting?"

"A saddle in a stable? That doesn't prove anything?" Sir Bar rumbled.

"The pursuit indicates otherwise," Sir Jaradan said.

[Prince_Asuryan]

John shrugged. 'We know nothing of this meeting my Lord, thought the fact that the saddle was hanging in a stable, a squire panicked as we saw it and had us pursue, suggests that it was a secret one... Also my lord, he was more concerned with angering you than he was stopping Saxon raids. I find that odd, for are all British knights under King Uther not Brothers in Arms in the face of the enemy?'

[Calarion Sapherior]

"We cannot present this before King Uther, not with this little to go on," the Earl said. "What is the nature of the deal? That is the most important question, and one that we cannot answer."

[Prince_Asuryan]

'Well my Lord, if we cannot go before the king, I at least think we should strengthen our borders. Unless you have another plan.'

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Strengthen the borders, and send spies to Levcomagus to see if aught else can be learned," said Sir Hywel. "There is little else that we can do."

Time passed. The knights were sent again on a completely routine patrol of the borders of Salisbury: there were no raiders this time. Spring turned into summer, a hot, sticky summer. No word came from the spies in Levcomagus of the Saxon alliance, but there was no sign of the Saxon saddle within the stables there. The group returned to Sarum at the end of the patrol, where they had some time to themselves.

A few days after returning to Sarum, Sir Jaradan took Sir Aldrydd aside. "I would have words with you," he said.

[cidracin]

"Why of course you can Sir Jaradan." said Aldryrdd as cheerfully as he could muster. Since returning from the forest, Aldrydd had been more quiet and sadder then before but he was trying his best to move forward. Though when he had the free time he brainstormed possible ways to get out of his deal. He had still not decided to tell the others.

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Sir Aldrydd, I like you. Or rather, I don't think you're a raving idiot, which amounts to the same thing. So it is with great sadness that I heard that you have been trying the patience of my Lady Adwen with your oafish attentions. As civilized men, and fellow knights, I am sure that we can come to some agreement, and that agreement is: you leave her be so a better man, to whit, myself, can claim her hand."

[cidracin]

Aldrydd was careful to keep up his cheerfulness as he replied,"I'm sorry to hear that I have offended the Lady Adwen. I must admit that I have only had the exquisite pleasure of her company on one occasion. Though I must admit that from my point of view the lady was quite pleased at meeting me. So Sir at the moment I have no plans of staying away from from the Lady Adwen. Though perhaps it is you that was offended by my own rather suave advances and worried about losing the Lady's favour to how should I phrase this, a more handsome suitor than yourself."

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Ah yes, I will concede that point. Some of us have work to do, rather than preening ourselves in front of a mirror all day!" Sir Jaradan said jovially. Then his demeanour shifted. "I'll speak slowly and use small words so you can understand. The Lady Adwen is mine. If you wish to argue with me further.If you won't listen, then I suggest we settle this like men - rather than primping peacocks, so it might be difficult for you. Swords, to first blood. I hope you don't pass out at the sight of it again! Sir Aldrydd, you may choose the time and the place. We shall bring witnesses, and the Lady Adwen. Maybe some food and drink, and make a day of it. What say you? Swords, or cower away like a whipped cur with your tail between your legs?"

[cidracin]

As Sir Jaradan's demeanour had shifted so did Aldrydd's, going from cheerful to one of deathly seriousness. Aldyrdd shot an icy glare towards Sir Jaradan as he replied, his ice blue eyes never flinching from Jaradan's return gaze. "I accept your challenge Sir Jaradan. Tomorrow at noon seems like a good a time as any. The only people I will be bringing will be Sirs John, Gauis, and Tinian. As well as squire Alain and my own squire Bruce. Is that agreeable to you?"