IC - Scene Deloria Castle

Sir Azrael was moderately surprised when the door next to him swung open. Taking a quick look at the situation at hand, Sir Azrael took the professional route. The lord was a possible threat to the Duke and might do something unpredictable due to being drunk. It also wouldn't do to beat up a lord without severe provocation. Sir Azrael put his right hand on the sheath of his sword and spoke.

"Do you seek an appointment with his grace Duke Alamar, sir?"

The condition of Lady Worthwin was mildly worrisome but the business of nobles wasn't under his jurisdication.

Sir Kamos stood still as stone contemplating what to do next, arms crossed with one hand on his chin. He looked up and spoke to Sir Kelren.

It is true that this could be a trap to bait out additional guards and the Silvermist effort are certainly impressive. However it seems to me that the worst of the damage will occur while the rioters still have their energy and we need all the manpower we can get to quell those fires. While your substantial sum of manpower will arrive by dawn I'm worried just how much they can hurt the city by then.

His arms come down to a more relaxed pose and begin to move with his speech. His face remain unflinching and without emotion though.

Perhaps as a temporary measure the castle guards can head out, just for a few hours, as a show of strength and support. The sense of support might do wonders for the people without the vulnerability of the parade. In order to contain the situation until your men can arrive. In the meantime I can station my men throughout the castle while closing all entrances and root down with the Duke here in the Great Hall with the bulk of my men. Given the natural defensiveness of the castle and a little over sixty men, including the Ebony Gauntlets, I'm certain we could keep the area safe for a short while. And upon the return of the Castle Guard we could conduct an extensive sweep of the area to be certain.

We could also look into seeing if their are any mercenaries in the city for a temporary boost our forces. They'd have to be commanded by official though to ensure good behavior. I'm afraid I'm rather blind in this keep to know if that's a possibility though.

Placing his arms on his hips he look at Sir Kelren and the Duke.

Kelren frowned.

I would not recommend the use of mercenaries, since we do not know who they are. They might just be assassins in disguise that will start to randomly slaughter the rioting mob, thus worsening the situation.

We have 60 men under arms right now, 25 of them mounted. Together with the city watch we should be able to secure at least those areas with the fires, so they can be safely put out, as well as contain the uprising in the slums until the reinforcements arrive.

How many men has the city watch? he added, turning to the duke again, while still awaiting his general opinion on the plans.

Duke Alamar ignored the imploring gazes of the knights. You can almost see how something inside of him snaps, how his frail countenance finally collapses under the weight of his worries, and is replaced by something else. He gives Sir Kelren a cold stare.

"So your order just happens to have 500 men available? How convenient for us. But tell me, good sir, would those troops not be better placed elsewhere? In the south perhaps, where your order fights the invading snakes, or maybe at Javiksholm, where they are busy besieging one of the kingdom's cities? No? Let me guess; you have more than enough men there as well. Good for you.

Why should I even still bother? It is obvious that King Mordred does not wish for his lords to remain the defenders of the realm. Why else would he put us under the law of halves, but allow the orders to amass armies as they please? I would not complain, if the marches still had their own order; but yes, I forgot, the king took that from us as well, simply crushed this tradition under his royal heel. All I have left is this pitiful force, and a duty too big to fulfil. My family is in danger, by people are haunted by bandits and villains, and now my city burns.

Do as you please, gentlemen," the duke says as he rises. "Bring your men, use your money, for it appears I am no longer the duke of the marches, but a begger, at your and the king's mercy."

And with that, Duke Alamar storms out of the room.

Sir Kelren looked slightly shocked. He had not expected such "thanks" for their efforts at solving just the problems the duke was talking about. He pulled himself together and turned back to Sir Kamos.

I will notify the Lord Constable of this, it might be advisable if you and him talked to the duke and tried to calm him down.

Still, since his grace is no longer engaged in this matter, we will have to deal with it on our own. Shall we seek out the captain of the city watch?

Sir Kamos calmly watched with a grim frown on his face as the Duke exploded and stormed out, signally Azrael to stay. He sighed after the Duke had left and turned to Sir Kelren.

Yes I suppose that will do. I will stay with the Duke and try to talk to him. Sir Azrael here can go with you to talk with the Captain of the City guard in the meantime.

Waving them off he quick set after the Duke.

Sir Kelren gave Sir Azrael a friendly nod as greeting.

Let us hurry then, he said, time is working against us.

They hurried off to the guard captain's office at the garrison barracks below the castle.

Good Sir, Kelren said when he entered without loosing much time with greetings and discussions, we need your help. His grace has ordered us to deal with the riot and the fires. We should join our forces on the market square and then move out together. We have 85 men under arms ready. How many can you muster?

Sir Azrael nodded affirmatively to Sir Kamos. It was a nice change after standing next to the Duke and constantly observing the scenery in case of dangers.

He mirrored Sir Kelren's nod and went with him.

Sir Kamos sets off after the Duke, eventually catching up with him in one of the castle's many corridors. He was facing the West, staring off at the burning slums, the columns of smoke rose in the distance.

He was leaning against the wall, looking out the window. You can see the pain in his face, the frustration in his eyes.

Without even looking at Kamos, he says

"My family has guarded the marches for generations, and now we can't even save our own city without help. My people have looked up to me as their protector for years, and now I can't even save them from a mob of disorganized rabble."

Sir Kamos moves up, not quite interrupting the view to the window but at the very edge of it. He stand between the Duke and the window and turns to face him head and body arms crossed as usual. His face shows a shred of concern and even disappointment though it is well guarded.

His voice is calm, somewhat soft, and lacking it's normal stern demeanor.
"And?.. Does this mean you'll give up? Because you, like everyone in life, has reached a point where they need a helping hand? Is that what it takes to break a great marcher lord? Some viper hides in the shadows poisoning your peoples minds against you and you fret over not having the man power to stop a riot. You have the manpower in the Silvermist you just have to make use of them. They are settled in your lands and operate by your generosity and they are clearly willing to help. Take them up on the offer then solve your problems here."

He stops for a moment and turns his head to face the window.

"You know in my home village in the northern reaches of Raventsern we had a small saying.
On the worst nights of winter, full of darkness and cold, where death is so near. Light but one log to resist and lose. Light many so they may stand together and they weather the storm.
Such is life and death in this world. So when you reach your storm of winter never fight less than with all your fire

Not the most clever saying but no one said Raventsern peasants were poets."

His face turns back to the Duke.

"So do you have any fire left to burn in you or are you just going to collapse into cinders?"

The Duke does not change his expression

"If I can't stop a single riot in my own city, without relying on the Silvermist, what use am I? What place is there for me in this kingdom, if I can't even take care of my own holdings without relying on them. The King has decided who he wants to trust. He lets the Silvermist, a knightly order with hardly any history to create armies in the thousands of men, while I, Alamar Monash, marcher lord of Laria, cannot even raise 500 men to my banner."

He looks Kamos in the eye and points at a shield displaying his heraldry on the wall.

"Do you know what this Raven means? Its meant to strike fear into the hearts of all the enemies of the marches. Now, it does nothing. The King has taken away more than just my retinue, he has taken away my pride and my honor. He took away the Clarion Call. You have no idea what the Clarion Call means to the marches. Think of how much pride the people of Ravenstern have for the Dragons, you'll start the comparison there. Now, my household guard is consisted of mere outriders. Young, lazy city-dwelling nobles who have no experience in war."

"With no knights or soldiers to my banner, I can't go out and protect my subjects. I can't go and kill that Bastard Ivan, or deal with Tsobudai or Ashby. I am powerless."

"So no, Sir Kamos, there is no fire to burn, there isn't any wood to kindle it with."

Sir Kamos shifts more to disgust and a hint of anger at this point.

"The great Raven then? To be broken by brigands and shadows. If you need Knights you have but to ask, it wouldn't take many to deal with the bandits. But no you decide instead to wallow in your own self pity staying stagnant. You are supposed to be the great marcher lord of the East! And yet you shrivel in front of your challenges because you believe you cannot raise enough men."

Sir Kamos drops his hand to his side balling his fists. His right hand in constant motion as his anger rises.

"You nobles and your bloody pride, your honor. Leaves you blind to the possibilities. You can still fight grim hearty and ruthless, but no, because they won't fly your own damned heraldry you surrender yourself. Has peace so poisoned you that you've forgotten what survival means? Where was the room for honor when pressed by the Empire and Jatu? Or was it all roses and gallantry then?"

Duke Alamar is now visibly getting agitated

"Those bandits aren't just outcasts from the villages, armed with cudgels, many of them are my old men, still bearing surcoats and steel. They actually take effort to kill nowadays. Where do you suggest I get these knights from? Silvermists? Griffons? Gauntlets? You are mad if you think I would beg for your knights. I would call my own knights if they didn't have the same problems of their own. And that raven is not just a piece of 'heraldry', its our tradition, its a symbol of the Marches. Now you question my honor? I am not Baron Ealdred, I did not raze villages left and right and take pleasure in war. I did fight fairly and with honor against the Empire, against the Jatu, and even against those bloody Noldor. What would be the point in my being Duke of Laria, if I need to depend on the knightly orders to receive the manpower to fix my own problems?

What kind of man do you think I am, that would go beg the knightly orders for your help?"

"A defender! A protector! A champion of your people that would do anything he needed to guard his home and his children. The point of being the Duke of Laria is to lead your people and protect them no matter the cost. Even if you must sully your nonsensical pride by getting help. You are a part of Pendor, that means cooperating with all those who live there an Order Knight or not.
What are you so afraid of that you can't ask for help? Your guards can be trained, your bandits slain, your people protected but for the use of words and pleasantries. Just because you're not gallivanting in the countryside with a Raven doesn't mean you cannot lead these people."