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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paka" data-source="post: 971160" data-attributes="member: 100">The Ballad of Karhoun EsbenStory Post #14Rude Awakenings I took a deep breath, trying not to think too hard about the sharp spears.  Somehow managing to keep my voice level, I responded, “Father, what in all of Izrador’s kingdoms are you speaking about?”He threw a braid down on the bed.  I recognized it as the Dwarf’s braid that Suk found among the dead Oruk’s things.  I had taken tea and Suk had taken the braid.  It had seemed inconsequential at the time and now my life was risked because of a piece of hair found on a dead Oruk.Father spat out the words, “Did you think that you could swear an oath to a filthy little Dwarf and let it slip by my notice?  Do you believe you could bring the oath-braid into my very house and that I would be ignorant to its presence and meaning?”“What is an oath-braid?” I asked.He was raving, “Lie to me, boy and Izrador himself will show me the truth of it.  Do you truly not know what an oath-braid is?”I was feeling the points of the spears at my chest, causing pinpricks of blood to stain the sheets.  “I have not the faintest idea what an oath-braid is.  I have never heard of such a thing until just now.  I swear it.”He waved his hand and the guards put away their spears, with as much ease and care as they would have taken with killing me in my bed.  His scowl continued, “This was found among, that Orc leader, Suk’s things.  It is a braid Dwarves give to companions when powerful oaths are sworn, a sealing of a pact.”“Suk took it from the Oruk after we killed them.”Father nodded, “Very well, take what rest you can from the night remaining.”As swiftly and as silently as he had entered, the Lord of Port Esben and his house guard left the room.  I noticed that there was a slot where the guards could take the bars off of the doors, allowing them to enter any locked room.  There was no way around it, so I closed the door and hoped an interruption like that wouldn’t happen again.Unaros and I met in the hall, whispering about our rude awakening.  I was relieved to see the Legate was still alive, there was no doubt father would have killed him with little to no thought.  Olen went into town to make sure Suk was well and the Orc was fine, sleeping in a fine inn among his own kind.Despite the night’s happenings I managed to sleep for another hour before the sun rose.  When I woke up I realized I had been dreaming of a dark beauty wearing a dress the color of summer wheat.Valanicia's NightWhile I was being held at spear-point, my sister, Valanicia was also awoken.  A desperate knock on her door woke her and there was Vildar the Highfather’s current wife, Beatrice.  Her eyes were large and darted to every shadow.  She pleaded with Valanicia, who was a bit older than her, “Please, please m’lady, please help me.  You’ve seen the way your father looks upon the Fey bitch.  “I have been out of favor ever since the most recent newborn smited the Legate mid-wife.  None are sure if she is blessed by Izrador or cursed by him.  No one will touch her and ever since her birth, your father won’t speak to me or touch me.“I must run.  I beg that you help me.  Please help me take Sholada from this cursed place.”Sholada was my most recent born sister, Val would tell me later, she was born some weeks before my arrival.  Upon her birth the Legate mid-wife father had called in to deliver the babe was lit on fire.  None save Beatrice would lay a hand on the newborn now and fierce whispering debates went on between the factions who believe the child is cursed or blessed by Izrador.Val listened and closed the door.  When Beatrice was done ranting Val responded her tone was warm and distant, “There is no way out of Port Esben without my father knowing.  You wouldn’t get far.“My brother travelled all the way from Theros Obsidia and father was sent a dream foretelling my brother’s arrival from the Shadow in the North himself,” Val smothered her own night shift and concluded as matter of factly, “If you run, you will die.”At that, guards knocked on the door, a heavy gauntleted hand against the wood.  Beatrice jumped, Val settled her down and whispered, “Just sit, we are merely having girl-talk.”Valanicia opened the door just as the guards were about to use their key.  Father greeted her and looked at Beatrice’s presence with a narrowing of his eyes.“Girl, why is my wife here with you?”She shrugged, giving no indication that she had come to beg aid in escape.  “We were talking about the handsome Legate with Karhoun.  Unaros is a dashing servant of Shadow, I think.”Father smiled and then turned to Beatrice, “Go to your room, woman, see to that child your birthed,” after his wife was gone he turned to his daughter and spoke almost tenderly, “Valanicia, have you noticed anything odd about your brother, Karhoun or that Legate?  Anything at all?”She shook her head, “No, father I haven’t noticed anything worth telling.  He seems well.”With that, he left towards his apartments to simmer in his anger.Vildar the Highfather was reading over missives from other Legates on the sea and knights of his holy order abroad when Valanicia entered his study, just as the sun was rising.  He didn’t look up from the papers when he said, “Yes, Valanicia?”“Father, your wife came to visit me last night.”He put his papers down, looked up and said, “Yes?”“Father, she asked me for help escaping Port Esben.  I thought you should know.”He rubbed his scalp and for a moment looked tired.  Then he set his jaw and began giving her orders, “Tell the kitchen servants to set our breakfast table under the oak.  Also tell Vrastith to set up a noose over the oak’s branches so that my former wife’s feet will dangle just over the table.”Valanicia curtsied, “Yes, father,” and then went forth to complete the morning’s errands.</blockquote>

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