IC-Scene: Surroundings of Kelredan (Continuous)

Day 2: Evening

Sir Laurence rode to the estate of the Western-most landed knight in Kelredan, with three of his household knights. He knocked on the reinforced door of the manor.

(OOC: Due to the proximity between Belmonfaire and Kelredan, I assumed travel would not take so long as it did back from Mobray. The "household knights" are from the six provided as part of my levy.)

[Note: Split off to prevent confusion. ~Iskar]

(( Being the only PC landed knight of Kelredan I'll take over this, if thats ok with you Tonedyr? ))

(OOC: That's fine by me. That says simply that your estate is the Westernmost of the landed knights in Kelredan.)

(( I never specified where it was so thats fine . ))

Opening a small slot in the door a guard peered out.

"Who enters the lands of Sir Iobairt without leave to do so."

"I am Laurence Stackford. I have come to discuss my claim to Kelredan with Sir Iobairt. Is your master present?"

Sir Laurence whispered to the knights with him.

Whisper:

(OOC: Given that this is the evening of Day 2, it seems the Iobarts won't be here, since they're still in Yaragar. I may have to come back later, after visiting the other landed knights.)

"My master is currently in Yaragar and will not be returning here for some time, he had sent men to take an offer to you and rather fortuitously I have a copy of said message.

If you are interested I can bring you a copy."


The door was then opened to reveal an elderly well dressed woman standing behind and a guard backing away.


"As you heard my sons are currently away, please stay until morning it is late and riding in the dark as dangerous. I'm sre my sons would want me to offer you and your men rooms for the night and food and drink."

Sir Laurence responded in a polite tone of voice.

"Thankyou, it is an honour. Ah, it has been too long since I was here last, but the old Sir Iobairt was never the same after the war. A shame about that. So, about that message..."

Returning to the room the guard hands a sealed envelope to Sir Laurence before closing the door and standing to attention in his place again.

At this point the rather frail looking lady smiled weakly leading Sir Laurence and his men into the great hall to see a flurry of servants rushing in and out placing food and drink on the tables.

"Yes the war was difficult on him. It left scars that never fully healed and he in turn punished our sons for it.

Please have a seat and help yourselves."



(( Message sent by PM ))

Sir Laurence sat, and began to eat. He waved his three knights to sit as well.

"Thankyou. I hope you do not mind my honour guard here - I do not trust the roads, since my opponents might well resort to assassination. It would also be rude for me to send my loyal knights away just before arriving. I shall write a response for Sir Iobairt - you are welcome to read it, but I would sooner use my words than ask another to speak for me in this matter. Ah, I forgot to bring quill and paper. Would you have some for this note?"

Waving her hand towards a servant standing off in a corner he vanishes silently out of the room to return a short time later and place a quill, ink and paper in front of Sir Laurence then returns to his position.



"I would have been most surprised if you had not had guards with you and most dissapointed."

Sir Laurence spent some time writing out a note.

"There. So, what do you think? Will this come to battle, or will the succession be settled without blood?"

She reads the note briefly before handing it to a servant who delivers it into the hands of a messenger who sets off for Yaragar straight away.

"When barons and armies are involved it always comes to blood the only question is how much blood must be spilled before one side is declared the victor.
The only thing I know for certain is that any man entering battle against my sons is cutting his time in this world very short, diplomats or business men they are not but place a blade in their hands and they will teach the strongest of men to fear them."

"Ah, to be young again, to ignore the shadows knowing they hold no terrors... but for me that time has passed. It would be good to have such fearsome warriors at my side, but we shall see what passes in due time. Well, the hour grows late, and this old wolf needs his rest."

"Your rooms are ready for you a servant will show you the way.

If I may I suggest you remain with us for one more day, I will have a response from my sons within that time and I'm sure you could use the rest."


She then waves over a servant to show Sir Laurence and his men to spare rooms.

"Ah, I'm afraid I do not have time. There are other knights in Kelredan I must visit. I should be back here before the end of the day though, and I can see the response then."

"Well let us see if the response arrives in time, please go to your rest I'll see to it that you are informed if the message arrives back in time."

Day 3: Early morning
Sir Laurence rode from the Iobairt estate with his knights, moving on to the next landed knight of Kelredan.

Day 3: Midmorning
Sir Laurence arrived at the next landed knight's manor. He knocked on the heavy reinforced door.

The door opened for Laurene and a maid curtsied.

"Welcome sir, to the Kepler estate."

Day 3: Midmorning
(At the Kepler estate)

Sir Laurence replied,

"Thankyou. Is Sir Heinrich present? I have business to discuss with him."

He looked away, the maid's youth reminding him of how his wife had been when he married her, and making him feel his age.

The maid nodded.

"Sir Heinrich is in the study at the moment. He's meeting with the steward, but he should receive you in a moment. Please sir, come inside."

The maid led Laurence into a beautiful estate. She guided him down halls adorned with fabulous paintings and a rich red carpet, leading to a small room with a slightly closed door. There were two exquisitely carved chairs illuminated by the warm lamplight, each with a red velvet cushion matching the plush carpet. The chairs seemed more of a formality than a comfortable rest stop.

The door opened and a pudgy man stepped out, dressed in loose clothing which seemed to hide his weight, if not for his round cheeks. He nodded to the maid and smiled at the baronet, but it was a cold smile. The maid turned to Laurence and gestured to the door.

"Sir Heinrich will see you now."

Behind the door, the room opened into a well-furnished study, with a strong oak desk and bookshelves around the room. Papers littered the desk and the only semblance of order was in the man sitting in the chair behind it. His hair was slightly grey with age, and pronounced wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes. A scar crossed over the empty socket of one eye, leaving a rather intimidating face. The man's remaining eye darted to the maid and then to Laurence, widening upon recognizing him. He stood up, and bowed his head slightly.

"Lord Stackford, welcome to my humble estate. Please, have a seat. I will call for some refreshments and food."

The man's Mettenhiem accent was thick, but he spoke Pendorian confidently and with fluency. He was still in chain armor, a sword lying on the table in front of him. Grime and rust covered the armor, but the sword was pristine and clean. Some dried blood littered the armor, but Heinrich seemed to pay it no attention

"Thankyou, Sir Heinrich. As always, it is an honour."

Sir Laurence sat, carefully shifting the mace at his belt to not catch on the chair. He sighed as the chair, hard as it was, took some of the pressure off his back.

"I'm sure you know already why I'm here. It was a shame about Olfrith's death, and I know he was your friend as well as mine - but we must all meet our end some day. The question now is, who shall succeed him?"

Heinrich's eye seemed to grow old in a second, and he nodded.

"The honor is mine. Joan! Wine and bread for us please."

The maid curtsied at the sound of Heinrich's barked command and rushed to bring wine and bread to Stackford. She bowed once more, either in awe or fear of Heinrich, and left the room.

Heinrich stood up, quiet, and poured some wine in a goblet for Stackford. He poured some for himself, took a drink, and sighed.

"It's been barely days since Lord Olfrith's death, yet the nobles talk of succession. The man has barely been laid in his grave, yet backstabbing and skullduggery already abounds behind him. Ach, what I'd give to be a simple knight."

He raised his hand to stop any protest Stackford had.

"I did not mean it was not necessary. I'm not blind, I've only lost an eye. Kelredan needs a ruler. . I know why you are here. You seek to ask me for support in this game of thrones."

Heinrich took a gulp of ale, and wiped his mouth. His Mettenhiem accent became more pronounced as his inhibitions slipped and he became more comfortable with the baronet, yet his hand never left the vicinity of his sword.

"Now, what is it you have come here to say? What can you say to me that will tear my broken heart from the dead to fight for the living?"

"Ah yes, direct as always. Put simply, the current peace in Pendor, pleasant as it is, cannot last. It never does, not here, not in Mettenheim or Barclay, or anywhere else. When war comes again, you do not want a boy barely out of knighthood commanding the defense of Kelredan. Even against the constant threat of renegade D'shar and Vanskerries, an experienced commander saves lives, and I have been fighting off raids from both ever since I took over from my father. Many will mourn as we do now, if Sir Thedric or Sir William takes Kelredan. And truly, could you serve a man half your age?"

As he spoke, Sir Laurence kept eye contact as much as he could, conveying his sincerity. Sir Heinrich's disfigurement was still unpleasant to look upon, but Sir Laurence had seen worse and was not offput by a missing eye.

"Peace...aye..Peace"

Heinrich nodded slowly. his eyes fixated on one spot in his desk. A small box sat atop a pedestal on the oak. Heinrich opened it up and toyed with the golden ring he found inside. It seemed to be a ring belonging to a woman; why it sat on a pedestal in Heinrich's study was a mystery. His eyes seemed to be watering, but with a blink, that moment of weakness was gone, replaced with cold steel.


"Peace doesn't last; aye, you've got that right. Yet when it comes we must learn to cherish it and hope it lasts. Yet I believe in change, Lord Stackford. This is the second time in history that the lands of Pendor were united under his grace King Mordred. I believe that we need to look to the future of peace, not to a future of war. "

He replaced the ring and straightened up, bringing his hands forward, folding them on top of each other.

"Raids are much different that wars, Lord Stackford. You would understand that, having fought in the Unification Wars. And that means you understand that commanders mean close to nothing in the scheme of things. Every side has it's great commanders. It ends as a stalemate of command, except in rare cases. And then what? War cannot be won with honeyed words and speeches; war is won with blood and steel.

I don't mean to belittle your lack of experience; it's just that running a castle is much different than an estate. Age is hardly a matter in this. I serve who I serve, regardless of age. My father served the baronet when he was but a child; he served him honorably until his death. He died in a child's service; I intend to stand by his honor and do the same if asked of me."

Heinrich then paused, and took a sip of wine.

"However, I do see why you are concerned over whoever takes Kelredan. Saying that many will mourn might be a exaggeration. From what I've heard of Sir William, he was quite the commander and fighter. He was raised to Baronet after saving his village, and he seemed to have built it back up quite nicely. Thedric, I must confess, I know little about. I cared little for the other baronets when I was in service. Lord Olfrith was quite welcoming to me and I never dreamed of taking my services to any others."

Taking a bite of bread, Heinrich finished chewing quickly and said one final remark:

"However, I have a family to consider now. I have a beautiful young daughter old enough to be wed and two sons. My late wife would not want me to squander my life and family through petty power struggles. What insurance can you offer me that will guarantee my estate? For I fear I would rather be better off declaring for Kelredan myself and taking up the empty seat that letting my family die out because of a failed cause."

Sir Laurence paused to digest what had been said. After a mouthful of wine, he responded.

"You make several good points. Perhaps I have been thinking too much about damned politics recently, where a pretty turn of phrase is more effective than strictest truth."

Sir Laurence took a long breath, shifting a little to become more comfortable.

"It is true that you would be risking your estate by allying with me. However, Belmonfaire has land enough to break some off and form another landed knight's estate, and I will guarantee that if your lands should be lost. Furthermore, in return for your support I offer 500 denars to form an investment in Sarleon merchants, so that your family will always have an income to support them, no matter what happens."

Sir Laurence shifted again, never able to find a completely comfortable position.

"Should one of my opponents win, their allies will desire rewards which may include land and power. I think both candidates are honourable enough to hold the land of neutrals protected from this, but I cannot be sure, and neither can you. Then again, they may be honourable enough to leave even their opponents in place once their position is secure. So, there are no certainties in this business, except this: even if you side with my enemies and I am victorious, your lands are safe from me."