"Queen of The Known World"

Her name was Aliza, but most people called her the Arrow, and for good reason. From where she stood now, high atop the damaged wall of the once magnificent City of Virta, she'd once single handedly defended the structure's east side by killing or disabling twenty-three Raiders as they attempted to batter their way through a makeshift barrier. And that had been with just a basic bow made of a single shaft of wood, not the advanced weapon she now carried called a recurve bow.

Although the barbarians approaching the Castle had never seen a recurve bow before, they were just now learning what the weapon was capable of. The Outriders who had been approaching the wall had been warned off by a lookout farther down the wall from Aliza. But for whatever reason -- they either didn't hear, understand, or heed the warning -- they simply continued forward toward the City's entrance, another hundred yards down the trail that eventually looked directly down a cliff into the Inner Sea. Aliza had notched, drew back, and loosed an arrow. There had been enough power behind the missile to pass it clean through the man. But, unless she struck a vital organ, such a wound wouldn't necessarily stop the man. So, from her height advantage, she'd aimed toward the rider's clavicle and, after the missile had penetrated his chain mail and leather, it had sunk into the bone of the inner side of his scapula.

Though she hadn't killed him outright, Aliza knew that the steel arrow head would never be removed. It would continue to cut away at the man from the inside, even after the shaft was removed. As his cohorts escorted him to the Clan's healer, the barbarian was already as good as dead.

After the Outriders had withdrawn, one of the Priests who'd heard about the visitors rushed to Aliza's position with his latest invention, the Long Eye. He carefully laid the wood and leather tubular shell over a small bag of dried beans, used to provide a stable resting place for the unit, then adjusted the glass lens at each end until he could see the barbarians atop the distant rise almost as well as if they were on the trail below him.

"Is he Fenwater?" Aliza asked, meaning one of the many raiding parties that worked from the swamp lands to the west.

After a moment, the Priest answered, "Doubtful. They appear to from the North ... the Unnamed Untamed perhaps. Possibly from the East ... from the Frenkish."

After a moment, the Priest stood suddenly, staring out toward the distant visitors with a shocked look on his face. He lowered to the Long Eye again, adjusted it upon the bag, then stood again, saying, "She's not of the North, though."

"She?" Aliza asked. The Priest allowed her to take his position, and after a moment of adjusting the Long Eye to look at each of the men, she found what -- or who -- the Priest had found interesting. The woman was dressed in riding wear of the North, but the red hair and pale skin was obvious even from here, more than half a mile away. She inquired of the Priest without getting a satisfactory answer, "Hostage perhaps...? Maybe they have brought her here for ransom?"

It would never have occurred to Aliza that the redheaded woman was sitting atop a horse next to this impressively massive barbarian by choice. She rose from the Long Eye to survey the meeting taking place atop the hill between the barbarians and the newly arrived Herald, telling the Priest, "I'll prepare for a rescue."

She turned and headed away without comment from the Priest. He didn't need to question whether Aliza was being hasty. She wasn't. After all, the redheaded woman had to be a captive of the barbarians ... right?

CutiePie1997 said:

"You must tell him who you are to pass, m'lord," Onya said as she leaned in close to the Chieftain. She spoke to him in a soft voice, not wanting to either sound as if she was giving Baldr direction nor give the indication that maybe he was ignorant to the workings of Southern ways. She continued, "And tell him why you-- we are here."

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Baldr looked to the woman at his side and nodded once then gestured to his men to stay where they were. He moved his horse forward at a walk until he was within talking distance of the men before him. Even though he had approached them alone they still appeared nervous and their hands strayed towards their weapons although they did not openly put them on them.

Smiling Baldr took stock of them. All of them were dressed in black leather armor of high quality. Still it would do little to protect them against the weapons his clansman wielded. They were used to fighting against opponents that wore chainmail and leather and were adapt at piercing and bludgeoning such. Plus a horse gave added weight to a weapon making it that much stronger. No their armor would not stand up to their weapons or spears.

Yet they had that wall to hide behind and that changed things. His men were not used to fighting against such things. Of course they had raided small villages and towns with small wooden walls but nothing like this impressive stone wall. It would be a challenge but he knew he could overcome it, although it would cost him many men.

Turning his attention back to the one that had spoken he smiled at him. "My name is Baldr and I seek a priest of Vint so that I can marry my bride to be. I need a few claims she has made verified before I do and she insists that the ceremony be performed by one of your priests and I have agreed to her demands. As long as you do not attack we will do the same. Ours is a peaceful mission."

He looked up at the wall and then bellowed, "Whoever shot my man know this, if I find out who you are I will be challenging you to single combat and I do not fancy your chances of coming out of that alive."

Smiling back at the herald he resumed talking. "So lackey, may we enter or do you have to confer with your masters?"

"My name is Baldr..."

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As her husband-to-be continued his explanation of the Company's visit to Virta, Onya saw recognition of Baldr's name in the eyes of the Herald. He had very well heard of the most powerful Chieftain -- now the only Chieftain of consequence -- in all of the Unnamed Untamed. The Order of Vint had had an intelligence network unrivaled across the Known World. It didn't surprise Onya that they knew of Baldr. What she was wondering now was Do they know of me?

Baldr's raised voice brought Onya back from her deep thinking...

"Whoever shot my man know this, if I find out who you are I will be challenging you to single combat and I do not fancy your chances of coming out of that alive."

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The response from the men in black before the Chieftain was only slight. Onya had seen The Darkness -- the Order of Vint's fighting force -- in both training and actual combat; and despite their less barbaric appearance, she knew that they were deadly and highly skilled with their weapons, some of which had still been exclusive to the Darkness when Onya was stolen away three years ago.

But Baldr had brought 2000 men with him, the best of his fighters. And despite having a wall behind which to fight, even Onya knew that the Darkness could not hold indefinitely. A great many men would die, particularly on the more dangerous side of the wall. But, the City of Virta would fall none the less.

"So lackey, may we enter or do you have to confer with your masters?"

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Onya wasn't familiar with the word lackey, but the Herald apparently was. His lips spread just slightly while he considered the massive barbarian before him and the Company of Horse Warriors backing him up. He responded with a tone hovering somewhere between playful humor and confident sarcasm, "I must indeed confer with my masters, Lord Baldr." He looked past the Chieftain to the Company behind him and continued, "If you wish, you may construct your camp here for the night, m'lord. I will have brought out for your comfort and feasting a wagon of our best wine and ale, a flock of young, tender goats to slaughter, and a wagon of Burnt Wood over which you can build the hottest of fires."

Burnt wood Onya thought, smiling to herself. It's like being home again! The technology of which the man spoke was a light weight, black coal, typically about the size of a man's forearm, that was a chunk of wood that had been burnt and yet hadn't been burnt, not totally. It was lighter than wood, produced higher temperatures than burning wood in a stove or open fire pit, and produced less smoke. It might not have been the world changing technology that the recurve bow would be once the latter was being mass produced, but it had changed domestic, daily life for the people of Vint and beyond in the simplest of ways.

Again, Onya's mind was wandering, and when she came back to reality she realized that the Herald was looking past Baldr and studying her. As he had with Baldr, he bowed his head respectfully -- perhaps even more so -- then questioned, "You do not appear to be of the North, m'lady. With all due deference to Lord Baldr, may I have the honor of your name?"

The redhead's boldness had increased significantly since she'd exposed her heritage to Baldr and become so much more than just a slave. Without even looking to her Chieftain for permission or any indication that she needed it, she sat up taller in her saddle and stated, "I am Onya ... daughter of Rolton of the House of Mereth, last King of the Meretheni Federation ... daughter of Laura of the House of Ras Rufna, granddaughter of the High Counselor of the Republic of Yalla..."

She had been practicing this introduction since the day they'd entered the Territory of Vint. And as she continued, she saw the effect on the Herald: his eyes widened, then shifted between Onya and Baldr, who the Herald was probably thinking had captured, held, and violated on a thousand occasions the daughter of once powerful king of the south.

Onya hesitated for just a moment, then finished with the descriptor she knew would make a great impact, "...Pupil of the High Priestress of Vint."

The Herald simply studied Onya for a long moment before widening his polite smile. He said with humor, "I hope your riding skills have improved, Lady Onya."

Onya's mind was on bigger things than her history with horses, but when the memory of which the man was obviously speaking came back to her, Onya burst out laughing and blushed a deep red. She suggested to the Herald, "My Lord Baldr hasn't had the pleasure of that tale. Perhaps you would like to share...?"

The Herald shared the laugh, contemplated the offer, then instead deferred to Onya. "From myself, the tale would likely appear disrespectful, m'lady. Perhaps you would honor your Lord...?"

Onya smiled. She knew the Herald wanted her to tell the story, thereby further identifying herself as who she claimed to be. Onya tapped her heels into her horse's ribs, and when she was beside Baldr once more she said with a hint of embarrassment, "To be fair, it was dark ... and the two horses were side by side. Anyone could have mounted the wrong one."

The Herald looked to Baldr as he informed, "The Captain's horse didn't much like having a stranger on his back."

"It ran," Onya added, taking turns telling bits of the story.

"But not in just any direction."

Again Onya laughed. She pointed toward the trail that ran along the wall to where the Outrider had taken the critical shot to his shoulder. You couldn't see it from here, but as the trail wound around behind the wall to the left -- to the gate to the city -- the ground on the right fell away until it became a sheer drop to the sea, 30 feet below.

"No, he went that way," Onya continued, "at a full gallop..."

"But thankfully the gate was open," the Herald said, "And the runaway steed headed safely inside to--"

"The runaway steed did not head safely anywhere," Onya cut in, smiling broadly. She knew that the Herald was testing her for first hand memories, not second hand sharings. "That crazy horse headed directly for the cliff ... dug its heels into the edge as it lowered its head ... and sent me flying off into darkness ... and into the sea below."

By now the Herald was smiling from ear to ear, though Onya wasn't sure whether it was because it was, in fact, a rather humorous story; or because he'd gotten enough from her to reassure himself that Onya was who she claimed to be. Which of the two was true became only less certain for her as he continued, "And the honor of rescuing you from the sea went to a man who then gave--"

"A woman who then gave..." Onya cut in.

The Herald gave her a little nod of deference before continuing, "A woman who then gave you a nickname...?"

"Fish," Onya filled in. When an eye brow conspicuous raised upon the man's forehead, she laughed and corrected, "Redfish."

The two of them smiled to one another for a moment before the Herald half glanced over his shoulder and curled a finger at one of his escorts. The rider moved up quickly, listened to some whispered words, spun his horse around, and was gone, his horse racing back toward the city at a speed even the Horse Warriors of the Unnamed Untamed couldn't match.

"You will be our honored guests this evening," the Herald said, looking at Onya. He only then turned his gaze to Baldr, adding, "We welcome you, Lord Baldr, to the City of Virta with open arms. My name is Sir Parta. I am First Captain of the City of Virta Darkness, the city's Guard." He smiled, then chuckled lightly. "It sounds more ominous than it truly is."

Onya thought to herself, No ... it really isn't. She knew that when the time was right, she would have to fill Baldr in on just how effective a fighting force the Darkness was. She thought about the Outrider who had been injured earlier.

As if Parta was reading her mind, the Captain said, "Your rider ... the one who took an arrow ... I would like to apologize for any harm done to him and any misunderstanding that may have come from the attack. I assure you ... the Wall Guard was only doing his job."

Parta was well aware that the he he was speaking of was in fact a she, but he wasn't going to reveal that just yet. He bowed his head slightly as he offered, "Our doctors are the best surgeons in the Known World. If you would permit them to attend your rider...?"

He left the question there...

Baldr had been following the exchange between Onya and the herald closely. He was a little surprised that she had not gotten his permission to speak before announcing herself to him. He would have liked to keep her true identity a secret for awhile longer, at least until they were inside the walls, but she had ruined any chance of that. They would have to talk about that. She was still effectively his slave until they were wed and maybe it was time she was reminded of that fact.

Still as they talked it seemed the Herald was testing the validity of her claims. It looked like Onya had been here once before and an incident had occurred with a horse. As the story unfolded the man changed certain details or asked questions only the real Onya could answer. Baldr was pleased when she seemed to get them right. After all he was here to also see if her claims were true or not. This was further proof that there was some truth to her stories. However this only proved the girl was here three years ago.

He watched as one of their party took off at speed and he was impressed at the horses performance. Nothing they had would be able to catch that, well over a short distance. He had already noted the powerful legs and chests of the horses the riders had below them. However they had no stamina to them. A clan horse could canter most of the day and still be ready to fight. He doubted these horses could canter for more than an hour before they had to rest. Still he wouldn't mind trying to cross breed a few.

Looking at the man when he mentioned about his wounded man and the offer of a healer he shook his head. "They may be good, but he would refuse them. Only another clansman may touch him while he is part of this force. It is an old superstition but one we take seriously. However when we join you tonight I may have a word with them and maybe get some advice," he smiled.

He looked to the man and then at Onya. "For now though I think we will take our leave. My betrothed and I have much to discuss before we enter your city and I would like to see my men taken car of before we do."

He motioned for Onya to proceed him back towards the waiting warriors then followed her. Once there he started to give orders and soon tents were up, a temporary corral was in place and the horses were being taken care of, Fire pits were being dug and a space for latrines was being made.

Baldr oversaw all of this then directed Onya inside his tent. "First Never again announce yourself like that without my permission," he told her once they were seated with some light refreshments in front of them. "I took great pains not to mention your name and yet you go blabbing it about for anyone to hear. Just remember you are still my property until we are wed and it can remain that way."

Calming down he looked at her. "So saying, tell me what you can of these people and what I should expect. I wish to be prepared fully for our meeting tonight."

"First, never again announce yourself like that without my permission."

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Onya stood before Baldr with her eyes on the hide floor of his tent. She'd known she'd done wrong even before they arrived back at the camp.

"I took great pains not to mention your name and yet you go blabbing it about for anyone to hear. Just remember you are still my property until we are wed and it can remain that way."

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She addressed the chastising like the slave she was -- like the slave Baldr was reminding her she was -- saying in a soft voice, "Forgive me, Master."

It was the first time she'd addressed him by that title since the night she'd shown him her toe tattoos. And it was tearing her up inside, although she hid it from him with the skill she'd learned during her three years of servitude to Loro and Borona. Hers was a fragile existence, Onya had to remind herself. She's been born an heir to the Known World, but for half of her life she'd been a runaway, a servant, and a slave. She had no one to protect her as she had in Fothala. No one but Baldr. And she'd overstepped a boundary to satisfy her own pride. She wouldn't do it again.

"So saying, tell me what you can of these people and what I should expect. I wish to be prepared fully for our meeting tonight."

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"They are dangerous, m'lord," she said, switching back to the title she'd become comfortable with on the road. She looked up solidly into Baldr's eyes now with a serious expression. "Please, m'lord. Do not underestimate the Darkness. I am confident that should conflict erupt between you and the Darkness, that you will triumph, m'lord. But ... hundreds ... even thousands could die before the City Walls fell to you."

A horn sounded from the perimeter of the camp, a very specific sound that Onya had come to understand meant that riders were approaching. She ignored it, continuing, "Since the beginning of time, the Priests of the Order of Vint have collected knowledge from across the Known World. Art, music ... science, technology..." She stressed the next word, "Weaponry, my lord. And skills of making war with them. I have seen the Darkness first hand ... up close and personal.

"When I was but 14, on the road from Virta to Vint to begin my education under the High Priestess, our caravan was set up by Company of Frenkish Horse Warriors. There were so many Raiders ... and we were so few. The Darkness Captain identified us as being from the Order and demanded safe passage, as required by the Laws of the Goddess of Un. But the Frenkish cared not. They attacked. I was so afraid. I dropped into the floor of the coach, as my Protector demanded ... I rolled up into a ball and cried..."

Onya's eyes began to glaze over. "The cries ... not mine ... but those of the men and women fighting outside the coach, all in an effort to protect me. A dozen Darkness against four, perhaps five times as many. I pulled my knees to my chest and sobbed ... my mind filled with images of what these ... monsters would do with me once my Protectors were defeated."

She wiped away a tear that broke free, then looked back into Baldr's face again. her face lit up as her thoughts turned to a combination of happiness, relief, and even pride. "But when the fighting came to an end ... and the coach door opened ... the face I saw was that of my Protector ... of Aliza. 'Are you unhurt?' she asked, as if it only my health ... my life had mattered."

Onya wiped away another tear. "Aliza insisted I remain in the coach with the drapes closed ... to hide me from the carnage. But I insisted on seeing what had been done in my name. They were all dead, m'lord ... the Frenkish Raiders ... all of them. And when I quickly counted my escort, all were still standing."

Onya took a step closer to Baldr, shaking off the discussion of blood and gore to say with a confident tone that she hoped would not only get her into more trouble with her master, "M'lord ... the Territory, the Priests, and the people of the Order of Vint have suffered greatly from the invasions that destroyed their great Cities ... there great culture. But ... they are not the type to give up on civilization. They will want to see me placed upon the Meretheni throne. But to do so will require more than just a few marks of ink between the toes."

Her lips spread in a sly smirk. "The Darkness is dangerous as I said, but they are not many. But the great Clan of Baldr of the Unnamed Untamed ... it is many. Ink and swords ... and the blessing of our marriage by the High Priestess..."

She stepped a bit closer, closer than she normally stood to her Chieftain unless it was Baldr himself who was the one moving. She finished, "The Known World will fall in line behind you, m'lord."

Just then the flap of the tent flew open and one of Baldr's Bodyguard stepped in, apologizing for the interruption before quickly explaining, "An envoy from the City, m'lord. He insists on seeing our injured man.

Onya peeked beyond the Bodyguard to see a man in familiar garb. She turned to look at Baldr, a wide grin on her face. "A priest, m'lord."

Baldr frowned as the man rushed in. He had insisted that they not be interrupted and he was about to yell at the man when he quickly informed his chief of the reason he had dared to interrupt him. Baldr's anger immediately increased but now it was no longer aimed at his bodyguard but at this audacious priest. Had he not told the herald that they did not want any help and that in fact it would be an insult to the man if a priest turned up? So what was this man doing here?

He brushed passed his man and walked forth and approached the waiting priest. He was an older man and stood stooped over meaning Baldr who was already a good head taller than the man looked even taller. Looking down into his face Baldr glared at him.

"What are you doing here old man. I informed your herald that we did not need your assistance. In fact I made it perfectly clear that it would be an insult if you were to come out here." He gestured around at the angry faces and looks from passing warriors he was receiving. "As you can see from the reception you are getting my men do not appreciate your presence and neither do I. If this is the sort of diplomacy I can expect from the vaunted priests of Vint then perhaps they are not so intelligent as I have been led to believe."

He looked at his bodyguards and gestured to the priest. "Escort him to the boundary line of our camp. What he does then is his problem but he is not to be harmed, although he is not allowed back inside our camp." Turning back to the priest he glared at the man. "You heard my instructions. My men will not harm you as long as you stay outside of our camp grounds.However if you try to enter they will force you back out and if you are harmed while they are doing so, well let us just say that you have been warned," he smiled.

Two of his men stepped forward and stopped beside the man who merely looked at Baldr and nodded then turned and followed his escort away. Baldr glared after him then retreated to his tent and looked at Onya. "I am surprised at these priests and disappointed. From your descriptions they seemed reasonable people, but to send someone after being told it would be an insult is a grave mistake and one I am not likely to forgive lightly."

He sat down and ate some fruit until he had calmed down a little. Then he smiled and looked at Onya. "Well before we were interrupted you had advised me not to take these Darkness troops lightly. I assure you I take no troops lightly, however you will find there is something that we of the clans have that those in the south do not. Years of combat experience. Their troops may have fought a few skirmishes and an occasional battle, and they may have trained every day for most of their lives but we of the clans learn to fight as soon as we can walk and are fighting for survival against each other and the land soon after. Our whole existence is a fight and no amount of training can ever replicate that."

He smiled towards her. "Yet I will take your words to heart. You have seen these people fight and I have not, and already I know that these walls would cost me many men to take. I would prefer not to do that. Instead I would like to make friends with these people and marry my beautiful bride to be," he smiled at her and stood up walking towards her and stroked her cheek.

Again there was a discreet cough at the tent flap and Baldr sighed and pulled back as the same man entered. He was sweating as he interrupted his Chief a second time but he had wished to be informed about this.

"Excuse me chief, but wagons are approaching from the wall. I believe they are the supplies you were promised."

Baldr smiled and walked outside gesturing for Onya to follow him. He looked at the wagons approaching the camp and the small flock of goats being driven behind them.

Quarters of 'The Darkness'
Castle of Virta:

The expression on her face and tone in her voice hid no doubt as to what Aliza was being told. "Redfish...?"

Parta shook his head lightly as he responded, "Lady Onya didn't like that nickname then ... and she didn't seem to like being reminded of it tonight."

Aliza had been preparing for a rescue of the anonymous redhead on the assumption that she was a hostage of the heathens when the First Captain entered and revealed the young woman to be none other than Lady Onya of the House of Mereth.

"But she died," Aliza continued, refusing to believe what her superior was telling her. "You told me yourself."

She turned her back to the man and continued with her preparations while Parta recalled the exchange that had taken place just ten minutes earlier out on the hill northwest of the City wall. Aliza continued to question the validity of what the First Captain told her with an ever hardening tone. It wasn't really that she didn't believe Parta, or didn't want to believe that Onya was alive. It was that she, Aliza the Arrow, had been Lady Onya's Personal Protector and, therefore, had been personally responsible for the girl's disappearance.

"I told you what you needed to hear, Aliza," Parta said with a soft tone, stepping up closer as he continued, "You wouldn't eat ... you wouldn't sleep. You spent every day searching--"

That was all the farther Parta got before Aliza spun in fury and swung a back hand at his face ... only to connect with little more than the air before the First Captain's face as -- ready for such fury -- he pulled his head back in plenty of time. In a flash, Parta had Aliza all bound up, her back against his chest, her arms crossed and pinned against her bosom so tightly that after she screamed loudly in a combination of fury and despair, she found it difficult to pull air back into her lungs.

After a long moment of her sobbing in his arms, Parta said with a sympathetic tone, "This ... is why I told you we found her body. You were becoming reckless ... and reckless is not the Darkness way."

He released his best archer only after he was certain she was ready to listen to reason, turning her toward him, demanding she wipe away her tears and never weep again, then -- with a knowing smirk -- asked, "You have a rescue to perform ... don't you?"



Baldr's Tent
Half a mile northwest of the City Wall of Vint

"What are you doing here old man...

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Onya watched the exchange from inside Baldr's tent, fearing for the Priest's life as the Chieftain chastised him. She didn't know how to feel about the misunderstanding between her betrothed and the Order. She had seen the clash of cultures so many times during her past, as she moved -- freely or otherwise -- between Meretheni, The Fenwater, Vint, and finally the Unnamed Untamed. Such clash of cultures were often at the heart of the conflicts that had torn the Known World apart.

How will we ever rebuild what was lost, Onya wondered. How will I get so many different Peoples to live as one when we are all insistent upon living as different people?

Onya contemplated the How will I part for a moment. As a girl and young woman, the thought of being Queen of the Known World had been little more than fantasy. But with Baldr behind her, it was now an actual possibility.

She smiled, once again contemplating but this time about the Baldr behind me thought. Baldr would never be behind Onya. Definitely before her; possibly beside her. But never behind her. It wasn't the nature of the men from the North to ever be behind a woman, unless that woman was his mother and he hadn't yet begun sprouting hair around his cock.

Onya didn't know how to feel about playing second to Baldr. She'd contemplated that dynamic every single day since deciding to reveal herself to him. She was the legitimate heir to the Known World. But he was the Chieftain with the big mounted army that could conquer it. They would find their own balance in their rule of the Known World, Onya was certain. But, before that, they had to rule the Known World.

"Escort him to the boundary line of our camp..."

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Onya found herself rushing out the door of the tent to stop Baldr as he continued chastising the Priest, but she stopped just a single step outside. She knew she couldn't contradict Baldr before his men, let alone before the Priest. She hesitated, glancing left and right to the Bodyguard members flanking the tent's entrance, smiled meekly to each, then turned and returned inside.

Upon his return, Baldr said...

"I am surprised at these priests and disappointed..."

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As she listened to Baldr's criticism of the uninvited holy man, she kept her gaze down. But her mind was running full bore, a loud voice inside it telling her she should have pointed out that they had come here for a Priest ... and now he'd just sent the first one away!

"Well before we were interrupted you had advised me not to take these Darkness troops lightly..."

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Onya listened to Baldr's talk of battle experience and knew that every thing he said was true. The Clans would take the city by force if force became necessary. It fell on Onya's shoulders to make sure that did not happen. But how? Baldr had intended on invading the south before she's told him who she was; and now that he knew, he was even more intent to make it happen. Had she caused this? Was she at fault? For weeks now, she'd been battling with this contradiction, knowing that force would likely be necessary to take the crown and yet not wanting to use force at all. This internal conflict was beginning to take a toll on her.

"Yet I will take your words to heart. You have seen these people fight and I have not, and already I know that these walls would cost me many men to take. I would prefer not to do that. Instead I would like to make friends with these people and marry my beautiful bride to be."

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As Baldr stood and walked to her, reaching out to stroke her cheek, Onya felt a blush fill her face. Marry my beautiful bride... Onya had never even contemplated being a man's wife before Baldr. Oh sure, sex slave or mistress or not a First Wife ... maybe Third or Tenth. And yet here she was, about to be First Wife to the ruler of all the Unnamed Untamed and, if all went well, the whole of the Known World.

Noise at the tent's opening interrupted them again, and a moment later a Horse Warrior announced the arrival of the offerings from Virta.

Onya requested permission to make her departure in that polite but discreet tone that often meant I need to pee, bowed her head, and headed for her own tent. Gree was waiting anxiously and quickly dived into questioning her Mistress about the encounter. Onya was uncommonly open about the meeting as the two of them once again worked to strip Onya from her clothes and get her into a wooden cask tub from which steam was now rising...



When she emerged from her tent, the sun had already fallen behind the low lying hills, beyond which lay the Fenwater. Onya looked to Yol with a questioning expression, asking, "Where is the envoy from Virta? I thought we were going into the City tonight to meet with the Priests."

"I do not believe we are going tonight," Yol responded, before saying with obvious hesitation, "M'lady ... I think there is something you should see."

With Gree and two of her Bodyguard following, Yol escorted Onya through the camp, which was now alive with multiple fires, the smell of roasting goat, and the laughter and glee that only Virtan Wine could cause. Emerging from the light of the fire and passing by one of the perimeter watch stations, Onya caught sight of something on the crest of the hill just under 100 yards out toward the City.

No.

It wasn't something, she realized. It was someone. Onya's heart sank and she slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her from exclaiming her surprise at the sight of the five Priests simply standing in the dark like some ghostly apparitions. She asked with shock, "What are they doing? Why are they still here?"

"They won't leave, m'lady," Yol explained. "They wish to see Veedon."

"Veedon...?"

"The Outrider who was shot," her Protector clarified. "They feel responsible for him. They wish to--"

Onya began toward the five with haste, saying with a desperate tone, "Then let them come into the camp--"

But Yol snatched Onya by the arm, stopping her, then -- once she'd stopped and turned to face him -- released his grip and apologized before explaining, "Baldr has forbidden it. They are not to enter the camp."

She looked out into the darkness, able to see the silhouettes against the light of the torches burning atop the City Wall. She was concerned for the safety of the Priests, saying, "They can't simply stay out there."

"And we can't make them leave," Yol continued, saying once more, "Baldr has forbidden it."

Onya was becoming frustrated. She looked between the Priests, Yol, her own Bodyguard, Gree, and back again. She said firmly, "Then I will talk to them.

With a bit of his own frustration, Yol countered, "You can't, m'lady. Baldr--"

But Onya cut him off, "Baldr has forbidden it, yes, yes, I know."

She stared out at the three men and two women, only just now realizing that they were chanting. She listened for a moment and quickly realized what chant it was. A flood of memories from her three years in Vinta and Virt overwhelmed her, and she wanted to cry again. She waved a hand toward the five, demanding, "At least take them food and drink."

But when she looked up into the tall Protector's eyes, she knew what the answer to that was. She turned and stormed back toward the camp, mumbling, "Baldr has forbidden it."



Midnight

After returning to her tent to fume, Onya had sent Gree to Baldr's tent to make apologies for her absence and early resignation to bed. The one nice thing Onya had learned about being a girl in a clan of tough guys is that when you told them you needed to be alone, they assumed it was female-related ... and that was all they wanted to hear about that!

She spent almost an hour talking to Gree, then Yol, then both of them about how to deal with the Priest situation, only to eventually lay down to sleep with no resolution at all. Onya couldn't accept that she had no say in the matter, which made it difficult for her to drift off to sleep. But, she eventually did...

...having no idea of what was taking place in the black of night beyond the camp's perimeter...



Northwest of the camp:

They called it Sleepy Time. It came from a fungus that grew high in the foliage of a tree native only to Fairweather Island at the farthest eastern reaches of the Known World. Fermented and mixed with water and honey, it was a great sleeping aid, putting even the fussiest of children into a slumber that would allow their parents a bit of shut eye themselves. But, dried, crushed, and thrown into the face of a target, it's numbing effects upon inhalation inhibited speech long enough to allow the anesthetic to knock the victim out.

Sneaking up on the perimeter of the camp from the northwest -- away from the City, which added to the surprise -- Aliza had been prepared to kill the night watch if necessary. But in her black clothing, with great stealth, and picking a path that hid her from the glow of the torches and fires, she'd been able to get close enough to the Horse Warrior on foot patrol to fill his face with the compound. Surprised, he was easily taken down into the tall grass which hid him from view of the next nearest night watch, who himself fell victim to another handful of Sleepy Time thrown by Sir Parta himself.

Although the First Captain entered the perimeter of the camp to protect Aliza's rapid retreat, if that became necessary, this mission was all on Aliza's shoulders. She slipped into the camp, remaining in the shadows, avoiding many men, using the Sleepy Time just twice more, then sitting the unconscious men down to appear as if simply sleeping off the excellent wine the Priests had provided.

Something else had been provided to the Horse Warriors, though this time by the Darkness itself. Whores. After the fires had been built and the goats slaughtered and hung over the building flames, the first of six carts of women began arriving from every direction until, ultimately, there were five dozen distractions keeping many of the Clans' members entertained.

Though there were still a great number of attentive night watch performing their duties well, Aliza was able to slip deep into the camp to the tent that -- using the Long Eye -- Parta had been able to identify as being the residence of Lady Onya. Aliza hesitated in the dark until she found an opening, then slipped to the back of the tent. She cut a slight slit in the tarp to peak inside, then -- seeing no danger -- cut a slit all the way to the dirt without a sound.

Inside the tent, illuminated by the light of a dozen burning candles, Aliza found a pair of women sleeping in one another arms, not uncommon she thought as the night could be cold on the Virtan Plain this close to the Inner Sea. She knelt over the two for a long moment, simply staring at the gently slumbering Redfish, smiling with great joy...



It was almost dawn before a now-shivering Gree awoke to find herself sleeping alone. She rose unsteadily, her head swimming as if she'd partaken of too much Virtan Wine, which she hadn't. She looked about for her Mistress, and when she didn't find her, she presumed Onya had gone to the perimeter of the camp to use the slit trench that had been dug and concealed exclusively for her.

But opening the tent entrance, Gree found the Bodyguard all present. And looking back inside the tent, she saw the slice in the tent's wall flapping in a rising morning wind. She rushed to the cut, then rushed back to the entrance to make inquiries of the Bodyguard.

Then, she screamed!

Sunrise:

Aliza had carried the black bagged Onya over her shoulder to the perimeter of the camp where she met Parta. The bag had rope loops at each end which enabled the pair to stretch the young woman out between them as if the Arrow was wearing a back pack and the First Captain was wearing a front pack. They moved at a brisk walk north down the back side of the hill to the grove of trees along a narrow creek where two Darkness were watching the horses.

With Onya slung over the saddle of a spare horse, they wrapped around until they arrived at the secret back entrance to the City Wall and were almost to the Castle before screams of panic emanated from within the still closed bag. Parta wanted to leave Onya concealed until they were safely inside the fortress, but Aliza couldn't bear to have her former Charge any angrier at her than she already was.

"You're safe, Lady Onya," Aliza told the young Royal after she slid her off the horse to her feet and untied the top of the bag, pulling it down to expose her head. "You're in the City. You're safe."

As the two Darkness worked to shed the black bag from the young woman, Onya's face was filled with fury ... and then shocked recognition.

"Aliza...?" she asked after staring at the Arrow for a moment.

"Yes, m'lady," Aliza said as she stepped back and dropped to one knee, bowing her head. She looked up without standing, her face filled with delight. "I cannot begin to tell you how overjoyed I am at finding--"

"What have you done?" Onya practically yelled at the woman who was only a handful of years her senior. Onya glanced about her, finding that she was indeed inside the city, then demanded with panic in her voice, "Take me back!"

Aliza rose slowly, asking, "Back...? Back to those heathens?"

"For all that the Goddess Un finds holy," Onya continued, her tone becoming more firm. She teetered a bit from the effect of the Sleepy Time, continuing, "You have no idea what you have done, Aliza. You must take me back. My Lord will ride upon the city and burn it to the ground and kill every man, woman, and child within the walls!"

Aliza was truly confused by Onya's reaction. Hadn't the young Royal been a hostage? Hadn't she been in the hands of the barbarians against her will? Her tone became defensive as she countered, "I risked my life to rescue you from that heathen Baldr ... and now you ask me to--"

"He is my betrothed!" Onya snapped. When Aliza only stared, dumbfounded, Onya continued, "I am to be his wife! And together, we will unify the whole of the Known World as was arranged by the High Priestess of the Order of Vint, with the blessing of the Goddess Un!"

Now, Aliza was simply staring in shock. None of what Onya was saying got even close to a reality in which she could believe. It was Parta who finally spoke up and said, "Let's get Lady Onya inside, to the comfort and security of the castle ... then--"

"No!" Onya cried out, trying to hurry past the other woman. When Aliza reached out to snag her by the arm, Onya screamed, "NO! You must take me back--"

Parta had had about enough of this by now. Behind Onya, he reached up a hand -- in which was a dose of the anesthetizing powder -- and covered the young woman's mouth. Onya fought for a moment and tried to scream, but soon was as limp as she'd been miles and minutes earlier.

"Get her inside," Parta ordered, slumping Onya over Aliza's shoulder and hurrying before her to get to and open a door that would lead through passages to the castle's Residence. Before Aliza departed, Parta confirmed, "Lord Baldr will march on the castle. You have an hour after sunrise, perhaps less, before his forces are at the castle door. Do what you can to figure this out."

As he watched Aliza disappear into the dark of the passage, Parta turned away and hurried off, wondering how they could have been so wrong about Lady Onya...

Baldr heard the scream and knew immediately who it was from. There was only one woman that had been brought on this journey besides Onya and it was not her that had screamed. He was out of his tent and at Onya's in seconds to find a hysterical Gree babbling about her mistress being taken by spirits.

He walked past the woman and into the tent and examined it thoroughly. One side of the bed was still warm while the other was cool to the touch. He had been told of Onya and Gree's sleeping habits but knew it for what it was. The nights were cold and sharing body warmth was excellent at fighting off the chill. However it appeared Onya had not been in bed for some time.

He spotted the slit in the tent and checked for tracks. There were faint markings here and there but nothing he would be able to follow, although it told him exactly who had kidnapped his betrothed. The Darkness. According to Onya they had the skill to pull something like this off.

Walking back outside he questioned the fearful guards and Gree. The guards had heard nothing, and Gree admitted to sleeping soundly although she mentioned waking up with a pounding headache like she had drunk too much wine, however she had only drunk one goblet. One goblet to a clansman, even a woman was like drinking water. Baldr knew that was important and sent the two guards on a search from the rear of the tent towards the nearest edge of the camp for any other warrior suffering the same effects.

Walking back to his own tent he summoned all of his Karrants. He began to issue orders. If the priests were still there they were to be taken prisoner and bound and gagged and placed in a tent to be guarded day and night. A swift rider was to be sent back to the main force to summon them here on the double.All persons not of the clan were to be kicked out of the camp quickly and a fortification set up. Large hunting parties were to be sent out to procure food enough for their main force for a week.

His men hurried to do his bidding and then Baldr took two men with him and began riding towards the walls. They had dressed in full battle gear and took their best weapons. Each man carried five throwing spears in a small holder on the left side of his saddle and a large lance on his right. His two bodyguards had white flags attached to theirs, a symbol of peace and a wish to talk.

He stopped within hailing distance of their gate and looked at this wall himself. Men scurried around on top of it and their was smoke rising from different places on it. What that was about he did not know but it was probably some type of defense and did not bode well for his men. Looking at the gate itself he saw that it was sturdy and would take many men to break down although he could see how it could be done. Still he looked above it and began to bellow out.

"Last night you sent out food and wine and even whores for my men and I thought you were good people and was willing to treat you as such. Then you insulted me by sending priests to my camp even though I told you not to and they would not be welcomed. Against my better judgement my betrothed calmed me down and insisted it was just your way and again I was ready to treat you well." he let his words sink in then raised his voice to a battlefield boom. "Yet this morning I wake to find that you have stolen the woman I came here to wed!! This insult will not be tolerated. You have one hour to return her or one of your precious priests will die. Every hour you delay another will die and I can guarantee you it will not be quick. You will hear their screams of agony from inside your walls. Once they are gone I will come for my bride and leave no one alive in my wake. Virta will cease to exist. Perhaps the priests in Vint will be more obliging. You have one hour to make up your minds."

He turned and rode back to his camp which was a flurry of activity. As he got there he sent out small raiding party's to surround the town with horns to signal if they tried to break out from any other exits. It would take his main force at least two days to get here and the rider a day to summon them. Plan on four days just in case and a day of rest before he could attack in earnest. Until then let them stew and wait. Maybe they would come out and fight them in the open and learn what true warriors could do.

Atop the City Wall:

From atop the northwest corner of the City Wall, Parta watched the flurry of activity atop and surrounding the bald hill through the Long Eye. It wasn't long before a detachment of warriors was heading toward the City, the conspicuous form of Baldr in the lead.

"The enemy is preparing," a common soldier said unnecessarily. He looked to Parta and asked, "Will they attack today, First Captain?"

"It is unlikely," Parta responded before looking to the soldier to clarify, "And they aren't the enemy until they do."

The soldier looked confused. "But ... m'lord, they are preparing for battle."

"Yes," Parta said, turning to head for the stairs, "and we drew first blood. So ... who is the enemy?"

As he descended to the ground level, a Darkness rider approaching at high speed pulled his horse up to a skidding stop and reported, "Sir! Lookouts report a rider dispatched from the camp, heading north."

"Just one," Parta asked as his squire brought him his own horse.

"That's the report, sir," the rider said, staying away from the descriptor m'lord, as was the standard between the Darkness's officers and fighters when in the field. "Shall I signal he be intercepted?"

"Yes," Parta confirmed as he swung up into his saddle, then retrieved his longer sword and shield from the squire. The rider was about to turn when Parta called out, "But don't kill him. Confirm!"

"The rider is not to be killed," the Darkness rider repeated before kicking his horse into action and hurrying away toward the opposite side of the city where a Signalman could alert the lookout who was in the forest to the north beyond the camp.

A horn sounded, unnecessarily alerting Parta to the approaching warriors. He urged his ride forward and was at the City Gate by the time that Baldr began issuing his warning.

When Baldr reached...

You have one hour to return her or one of your precious priests will die.

Click to expand...

...Parta found himself a bit surprised. He had been against the Priests going to the camp in the first place; and when he'd learned they weren't going to leave, he'd been against that as well. He'd sent a Darkness scout out draw the five back while he and Aliza were kidnapping Onya, but when the three of them had returned to the castle, he's learned that yet again the priests had refused to leave. Parta had actually expected to learn that Baldr's Mounted Warriors had ridden the priests down where they stood; and learning that he hadn't gave the First Captain a new appreciation for the Chieftain's strategic thinking.

Baldr finished...

"You have one hour to make up your minds."

Click to expand...

Parta had been prepared to ride out and meet Baldr yet was surprisingly happy when the Chieftain simply turned and rode away. As he glanced up to the City Wall, a Soldier looking down asked what was to come next. Parta chuckled, short and sharp, then answered, "I wish I knew. Really!"



Visitors Residences:

Onya was pacing back and forth when the door to what was described as her room unlocked and the Darkness Officer entered. She immediately bellowed, "You can not hold me! Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, m'lady," Parta said, giving her a polite bow. "You are Lady Onya of the House Mereth ... and you are a guest of the High Priest of Virta."

"Guest...? GUEST!" Onya snapped back at him. "You took me against my will from my people--"

"We..." Parta interrupted, hesitating before he finished, "...are your people, m'Lady. You are a child of the House of Mereth and House of Ras Rufna ... a marriage officiated by the Priestess of Vint herself, with the blessing of the Goddess Un. And as such, you are a Ward of the Order of Vint, to be protected by the Darkness, every member of which would give their life to ensure no harm comes--"

With a confident, firm tone, Onya demanded, "I am the heir to the Known World...!"

"Not yet," Parta said softly, adding, "Not until the High Priestess says you--"

"I am the betrothed of the Chieftain of the Unnamed Untamed!" Onya cut in again, her voice loud and hard as she walked closer to the insolent man. "The Lands of the Clan Baldr are a sovereign nation, and as its Queen, I demand my royal right of self determination. You can not hold me against my will!"

Again, Parta said simply, "Not yet." When Onya only stared, a bit of confusion in her expression, the First Captain clarified, "You are not the Queen of the North yet. I have been led to believe that the reason you have come to Virta is to get married. And even if you were Queen of the North ... the Order of Vint has not recognized the Unnamed Untamed as a sovereign land ... and, therefore, it has not recognized your Baldr as its sovereign."

Onya's face tightened up in anger, her teeth clenching as she stepped up close to Parta and looked up into the taller man's face. She growled low and soft, "You will recognize Baldr soon ... as he rides down upon you and slices your head off for treating his future Queen as you have.



Soon afterward:

The City gates opened, and Parta -- escorted by a herald and five Darkness warriors -- rode out and up the slight hill to the perimeter of the Clans' camp. Parta was impressed with the defenses already built, including spiked log barricades and trenches to prevent a charge of horse, pits with fore-ground dirt walls to give archers cover, and more. There was no way the Darkness and/or City Army could penetrate the camp's defenses without hundreds, possibly thousands of lives lost. But then, Parta had no intention of bringing the fight to Baldr. And Baldr knew that.

Parta dismounted and strode forth a hundred feet ahead of his escort, waiting for the Clans' leader to come meet him. When Baldr arrived, the Darkness officer explained, "I am Sir Parta, First Captain of the City Guard of Virta. I have been sent by the High Priest of Virta to negotiate the release of the Priests now in your care."

He thought that sounded a bit more diplomatic than currently bound and gagged and awaiting the removal of their heads. He continued, "But first, I wish to discuss the misunderstanding that has arisen concerning the disappearance of the Lady Onya. Lord Baldr, I assure you ... we, the Darkness ... the Order of Vint ... we do not have your betrothed in our care."

Parta turned a bit to look over his shoulder toward his escort. A Darkness rider -- a female -- leapt down from her horse and walked forward with a confident stride. She was armed to the teeth, with daggers in her belt and a recurve bow over her shoulder, able to come off in a flash and be loaded from the quiver on her opposite shoulder; but she kept her hands free and easy at her side to reassure the heathen Chieftain that she wasn't going to suddenly put an arrow or blade into him.

"This is Aliza, m'lord," Parta explained. "She was Lady Onya's Protector for the three years that she lived her. Aliza has volunteered to remain here in your camp, m'lord..." Parta added a bit more friendliness to his tone as he specified, "As your guest ... to aid you in discovering Lady Onya's whereabouts in as timely a manner as possible. Aliza is very familiar with the Raiders -- both from the Fenwater in the west and the Frenkish Empire in the east ... who sack our villages and town on a regular basis. It is our belief that forces from one of these entities has taken Lady Onya, and we wish to resolve this misunderstanding without any further bloodshed."

Baldr had been busy in his tent planning out strategies with his Karanteen. No mater how he looked at it he was going to loose a lot of men if he tried to breach those walls. He already knew what an accurate barrage of arrows could do to a horse charge, and now it seemed that these Darkness warriors had come up with a better bow that had a longer range and more power. Veedon had been gravely injured and indeed the clans healers had had to treat the wound in a new way. Unable to simply pull the arrow out as they normally would, they had completed it's journey through the man's shoulder, pushing it through then snapping it off then withdrawing the shaft. Veedon would never have the same strength in that arm again, but luckily it was not his sword arm. The healers had packed the wound with healing herbs and so far he was surviving. He was running a slight fever but that was to be expected. If he lasted through the next few days they expected him to survive.

All of this however was just another problem Baldr needed to overcome. He had not seen more than a few hundred men on the walls and doubted there was many more inside. He estimated that he outnumbered the enemy by at least ten to one but they had that damn wall. Still that could be their downfall. Once his main force was here he would outnumber them by fifty to one and he could surround the three sides available to him with large forces. They however would be stretched thin. That would be the time to attack. Maybe he would give them a chance to surrender, it would depend on their actions.

He was just putting a few finishing touches to his plan when he was informed of the party approaching by one of the bodyguards at the tent flap. He gestured at all those gathered and they mounted up and rode out to meet them just outside the newly completed opening in the wall.

He saw the same herald he had talked to before standing before the gates but he did not dismount. Instead he gestured for his men to stop a little bit behind him and walked his horse towards him and leaned casually on it's neck as he waited for the man to speak.

"I am Sir Parta, First Captain of the City Guard of Virta. I have been sent by the High Priest of Virta to negotiate the release of the Priests now in your care."

Baldr snorted in amusement. Why would he give up valuable prisoners? This man was obviously hoping he was either stupid or had never gone to war before.

"But first, I wish to discuss the misunderstanding that has arisen concerning the disappearance of the Lady Onya. Lord Baldr, I assure you ... we, the Darkness ... the Order of Vint ... we do not have your betrothed in our care."

Baldr almost laughed in the man's face at the audacity of his claims. Who did he think took her then? They had been before the walls of their city and he had found another two men inside the camp and two sentries who had woken up with headaches the same as Gree had described. The men in camp could be explained away as they admitted to drinking. However the sentries could not. No man would drink on duty.

Then a Female dressed in the manner of a warrior dismounted from the party beyond him and walked forward. She was armed to the teeth and walked with the assured grace of a true warrior. Baldr was impressed.

This is Aliza, m'lord," Parta explained. "She was Lady Onya's Protector for the three years that she lived her. Aliza has volunteered to remain here in your camp, m'lord..." Parta added a bit more friendliness to his tone as he specified, "As your guest ... to aid you in discovering Lady Onya's whereabouts in as timely a manner as possible. Aliza is very familiar with the Raiders -- both from the Fenwater in the west and the Frenkish Empire in the east ... who sack our villages and town on a regular basis. It is our belief that forces from one of these entities has taken Lady Onya, and we wish to resolve this misunderstanding without any further bloodshed."

Aliza. Baldr remembered that name from Onya's story warning him about the prowess of the Darkness's abilities in battle. So she was indeed a decent warrior. Still this laughable matter of them trying to pass off the abduction as the work of Frenkish or Fenwater raiders was insulting. The clans had fought them for more years than this man had been alive and knew how to deal with them. In fact they knew all their raiding techniques and this was not one of them. All they were doing was giving him another prisoner.

"Very well. I thank you for sending us the help of such a trained soldier Parta. I am sure she is as eager as I am to get Onya back considering her close association with her. However you will understand I can not have her walk armed into my camp at the moment but she may need her weapons later. If she will just hand them over to one of my Karants...Ah you would call them lieutenants I believe she will be most welcome."

He waited to see what this warrior would do.

(OOC: I made a mistake! Aliza wouldn't have brought her recurve bow into the camp to possibly be seized or surrendered. I am going to claim she is carrying just a common bow. Hope you don't mind.)


Parta didn't hesitate in nodding politely to Baldr and responding, "Of course, Lord Baldr. I understand fully."

He turned to Aliza but neither spoke nor gestured. They had both known that if the Chieftain allowed the Darkness archer to stay near, she'd be disarmed. She hadn't liked the idea before arriving here, and she didn't like it anymore now. But more than remaining armed, Aliza badly wanted to be as close to the barbarian and his forces as possible during this stand off.

She moved slowly forward until she was a bare ten feet from Baldr, her gaze firm upon his face. She could see the tension rise in the Horse Warriors closest to him as they prepared to interrupt an assassination attempt. Even Parta became concerned, saying in a very low whisper meant only for Aliza, "Calm ... and slow ... please."


She hesitated a moment, then removed the bow from her shoulder, dropping it to the ground between her and the large heathen. She removed the quiver from the other shoulder, holding it in one hand as -- one after another -- she removed six darts from little pockets and dropped each of them point down into the dirt at her feet, creating a perfectly spaced line of poison death. She tossed the quiver before her, then -- as Parta had said, calm and slow -- reached to the small of her back on her right side, removed a thin throwing blade, and dropped it between two of the darts. She repeated the move, one blade at a time, from her left side, then both the inside and outside of her boots, adding skillfully to the neat line of killing tools.

She hesitated as if finished, but behind her Parta said softly with a cautioning voice, "Aliza."

The Darkness assassin hesitated, then reached the fingers of one hand to the inside of the other hand's glove, just below the wrist. She pulled out a flat piece of metal with several points that were conspicuously as sharp as any blade. As she turned it this way and that, it glinted in the light of the sun that was still rising toward Midday height. Suddenly with a quick flick of her wrist, the star flew toward the ground, sticking solidly into the wood of the Common Bow she'd brought with her to keep her recurve from falling into the enemy's hands. She reached to the inside of the other glove, withdrew a second star, and with less drama flicked it to the bow as well, sticking it side by side with the first one almost as if they'd been thrown together.

Through all of this, Aliza had continued to stare into the Chieftain's eyes, watching his reaction to her self-disarming. And though she paused for a moment, Aliza wasn't done yet. She could have reached to the neck of her hood and removed the garrote that looked only like a tie string, but instead she reached to her belly ... and began unfastening the buckles that held her leather armor closed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the Lieutenants -- Karants did he call them? -- lean a bit to get a better look as yet a second one smiled broad enough for his teeth to be revealed.

When the fourth buckle was loose, Aliza pulled the two sides open. The armor portion with the buckles was revealed to be corset-like and not attached to the portion covering her bosom. This portion was -- as with the lower portion -- made of the finest leather, but it was form fitted over and attached with a fish shell glue to a thin but extremely strong sheet of metal the Order's scientists called an alloy. The breast plate was strong enough to repel or at the least slow an arrow from a Common Bow, and while it wouldn't stop a tip-on thrust from a sword wielded by a powerful warrior, it would absorb the impact of a swing, not preventing damage to the chest's bones but at least saying the wearer's life.

Aliza wanted to smile, knowing that there was likely at least one Horse Warrior flanking the Chieftain -- and possibly even the Chieftain himself -- who was wondering whether the archer's bosom had a great deal of comfort space below the curved metal or barely fit inside it. None of them would ever know that she filled it quite fully. And if any of them ever tried to find out, he'd begin the quest a man and end it a eunuch.

She had a reason for undressing for the heathen, of course. Opening one side of the corset, Aliza pulled from behind the multi-layer leather yet another form of dart. It was nearly the length of her arm from wrist to elbow, with the shaped feather much like an arrow, yet softer, longer, and from a bird the North men had certainly never seen before. From within both sides of the vest, Aliza removed eight such darts, dropping them as a group to the ground. She then pushed her hood back off her head, reached to her spine behind her neck, and pulled out a three piece blow tube that -- when assembled -- was nearly as tall as she was and could accurately send a dart to hit a man more than sixty feet away.

Again, she hesitated, but the clearing of a throat behind her caused Aliza to sigh in disgust before she again reached to her neck and withdrew a foot and a half long rapier blade. She reached to a pouch on her hip, removed the blade's simple guard, attached the two, and dropped it point down as well. Aliza pulled loose the black under shirt tucked into her tight fitting trousers, lifted it and the unbuckled corset to expose her now-bare belly, and turned slowly around to show that there was nothing more hidden under her clothes.

Anyone paying attention -- which was probably everyone except Parta, who had also been eyeballing Baldr -- would have seen a tight, fit body decorated by obvious battle scars, including three small puncture marks and two blade slashes. When she was again facing Baldr, Aliza tucked her shirt back into her pants, her hands sinking deep enough into her crotch and over her round, firm ass to again cause some smiles and wide eyes behind the Chieftain.

"As safe as a lamb, m'lord," Aliza said with a feigned smile and tone of submission as she bowed respectfully to him. "I anxiously await to aid you in locating our missing girl."

Parta took a step forward, simply to draw Baldr's attention back to him as he respectfully asked, "Now, m'lord Baldr ... about the Priests currently in your care..."

Baldr sat watching the woman divest herself of her impressive arsenal impassively. Even when she half revealed herself he kept his eyes locked on hers and did not look away from them. He had an idea she was actually putting on a little show for him and his men, seeing what they were made of and so far most of them were failing.They had never fought a true woman warrior before, oh there had been a few woman that had picked up weapons and fought when they had gone raiding, but that was not the same. Before them was a woman bred for war. She was truly dangerous but his men did not see it.

When she finally finished and bowed to him claiming she was as safe as a lamb he laughed. He knew she probably knew several different ways to still kill people with bare hands just as he did. Then the Captain stepped forward again.

"Now, m'lord Baldr ... about the Priests currently in your care..."

"Wait just a moment Parta, I must see to the comfort of my new guest." He motioned for two of his Karants to come forward and then had one pick her up and seat her in front of him while the other took her weapons. "Take her to Onya's old tent and make her comfortable. She is to be treated as an honored guest so anything she needs except weapons are to be provided for her. Food, drink,companionship." He looked at the woman. "I would appreciate it if you would look around her tent for me. Not much has been touched so perhaps you can provide some new thoughts on who could have taken her in such a manner." He waved them away then turned to Parta once they were out of earshot.

"As for the priests, they will be staying where they are until my bride to be is found. You have bought them some time however. I will give this woman Aliza one day to dazzle me with her skills. If she has not found evidence of who took Onya by then, Well let us just say I would hate to be a priest," he smiled viciously. "You best hope she is good."

He gestured back to the waiting group of warriors and the wall. "Our meeting is over now, you may go," he told the man waving him away. Then he turned his horse around and rode back inside his camp followed by the rest of his Karants. Baldr rode towards his own tent where he knew the weapons would have been placed. he wanted to examine them before he talked to his new 'Guest'. He needed to find out just what these Darkness warriors were playing at. They could not honestly expect him to believe this ruse of theirs about other forces abducting Onya could they?


Meanwhile several miles distant, the scout Tyr who had been sent to summon the main force was worried. He was approaching a forested area but had seen several birds fly into it and head to the exact same spot. Nothing too unusual unless they had flown in from the same direction as well and that had been from a distance. The clans did not use birds to carry messages but they knew of them and had observed them before, especially the scouts. He was sure these had been such. Obviously there was someone or a force waiting for him ahead.

His options were few. He needed to go that way to get to the only crossing for miles a fact they obviously knew. He could circle around the forest making the hidden force come to him on his terms but it would add time to his journey and his chief needed the main force as soon as possible, or he could barrel through and hope for the best.

He chose to circle. I might add time but it also had the greatest chance for success. As he changed direction he heard a horn and soon three riders broke from the forest. Smiling he continued on. He had made the right choice. Three against one, in a forest when they had set up the ambush. He would not have stood a chance. As they drew closer they drew swords and again he smiled. He pulled one of his spears and threw with deadly accuracy and strength, piercing one of the warriors through the breast skewering him. The other two were rapidly closing the distance but he threw another spear hitting one in the shoulder, crippling him and taking him out of the fight.

Now it was one on one and he drew his sword and turned his horse around and charged his opponent. He saw the surprise in the mans eyes and then their blades clashed. He streaked past then pulled back heavy on the reins, his horse digging into the turf and standing on it's hind legs to turn and charge again. This was what it was bred and trained for. His opponent meanwhile was still trying to turn around. He managed a weak charge back but Tyr had all the momentum and his swing almost knocked the man from his saddle. Again his turn was quick and he was almost upon the man before he had completed his. Tyr decided to try to end it and actually had his horse charge the smaller horse plowing into it. It shied back and almost went down the man atop it flailing to control it and his weapon. Tyr waited and when an opening presented itself he thrust and the man grunted in pain then collapsed. He was not dead but he would definitely not be going anywhere soon.

Tyr had to admit these were good warriors, but their mistake had been to try to fight him on horseback. No warrior could match a clansman on the back of a horse yet they had come close. Three on one and he would have been hard pressed, in fact he probably would have lost his life, still it never got to that he grinned. He began to ride off when he felt a sting in his leg. Looking down he saw a dart and then looked around. The rider he had put a spear through the shoulder had somehow managed to approach and had thrown the dart. It was a minor nuisance yet he was grinning as he sat upon his horse wobbling from pain and blood loss.

"Got you. Poisoned dart. You will...be dead...in a day," he started to chuckle.

Tyr's eyes flew open and he charged the man taking his head clean off in his rage and then he started to ride again for the main force. It was still almost two days distant and according to that bastard he only had one. Well he would show him the strength of a clansman.

(OOC: I hope you don't mind that I insert a little action in the first paragraphs. Aliza wouldn't have allowed the soldier to, as you said, pick her up and seat her in front of him. Pride before survival ... gets people killed often, doesn't it?)

"...I must see to the comfort of my new guest."

Click to expand...

Aliza watched the Chieftain motion his lieutenants forward, which wasn't surprising. When ever the Darkness took someone into custody, that guest was flanked by Soldiers to remind them that containment -- even death, if necessary -- was always within arm's reach. But when one of the Karants reached out to take her by the arm, Aliza whipped it out of his reach, growling, "Touch me, and--"

That was all she got out before the man snatched her elbow tightly. The barbarian outweighed Aliza by a good hundred pounds, but what she lacked in bulk she made up for in speed and knowledge. She spun away from him while flicking her arm again, twisting his wrist in a way in which maintaining his grip -- regardless of his strength -- would have been impossible. The movement also threw the big, muscular man off balance, causing him to teeter forward a couple of steps before regaining his balance. The warrior, like the assassin, was skilled in close quarters combat, and he quickly spun back to Aliza in an aggressive stance and reached for the hilt of his short sword...

...only to find the scabbard empty...

...then feel the tip of the blade press into the soft flesh under his chin.

"Wait!" Parta called out, surprised at the sudden explosion of violence. His warning was to all present, not just Aliza or the warrior she'd so skillfully disarmed. He saw the tension rise all about the pair and quickly said, "Aliza!"

The Darkness rider, scout, soldier, and assassin all rolled up into one stared into the angered warrior's eyes for a moment, knowing she was very close to getting herself cut into lots of little pieces by lots of suddenly tense northerners. She backed up a step, pulling the sword away from the Karant's chin, turned it and laid it safely across both of her palms before the man, and -- with a slight nod of compliance -- said, "Perhaps you could show your guest to her promised comfort."

The Karant snatched back his sword, pointing it at Aliza. She ignored it, then moved away from her weapons as the second Karant began collecting them. She looked back and warned, "I wouldn't touch the tips of the darts. I don't recall to which I have applied poison, but ... if you would like to touch them to your skin and remind me..."

"Take her to Onya's old tent and make her comfortable.

Click to expand...

Aliza studied Baldr from her closest yet as he instructed the Karants as to her comfort and safety. Every time she got closer to him, she realized just how imposing a man she was. She had once been a guest -- reluctant as it had been -- at the gladiator games held in Lentfrenk after the Empire had replaced the Territory of Ras Rufna as the new power in the Northeast. And she'd seen some incredibly large, incredibly powerful, incredibly vicious men battle one another in hand to hand combat, both with and without weapons. And yet, she'd never seen a man as well sculpted as Lord Baldr, Chief and presumed Ruler of the Unnamed Untamed...


And while she had yearned for his absence within moments of spying his Clan's arrival upon this hill outside the City of Virta; and while she'd eagerly begun planning his death within moments of learning that the Southern woman at his side was her former Charge, the Lady Onya of Meretheni; Aliza couldn't help but wonder now what it would be like to be mounted atop this powerful man's cock in the throes of wild passion, or to be on her hands and knees, him behind her, thrusting deep inside her with the power of a mighty war horse.

"I would appreciate it if you would look around her tent for me. Not much has been touched so perhaps you can provide some new thoughts on who could have taken her in such a manner."

Click to expand...

Aliza didn't hesitate to nod her head respectfully to Baldr, responding with feigned yet seemingly sincere obedience, "Of course, m'lord. Anything to accelerate the recovery of our treasured Lady Onya."

As she headed off toward the camp on foot, with more Karants and warriors joining in the walk, Aliza could hear the men speaking behind her but could only make out enough to understand that they were talking about the priests. They reached a tent, the opening of which was flanked by a tall warrior and a relatively tiny servant who, though aged by her hard life, Aliza doubted was yet to enter her second decade of life.

The Karant leading the escort gave the tall Protector -- who one called Yol -- instructions to watch Aliza carefully. And despite his superior's orders, the man furthered his command with, "If she tries anything ... kill her."

As the Karant departed, leaving two of his own men behind to assist the Protector in securing the assassin, Aliza first looked back to the departing lieutenant, then to Yol and said with a slight smile, "I don't think he likes me."

She went inside and quickly began surveying the tent's interior. It was amazing what you could learn from the study of a person's possessions, even the ones that person didn't think were special to them at all. It didn't take long for Aliza to realize two key things: this tent had had a previous occupant of importance, likely the First Wife of Baldr or a previous Chieftain from whom the tent was purchased or captured; and that prior to becoming this Chieftain's betrothed and future queen of the Unnamed Untamed, Lady Onya had been little more than a slave. Although the heir to the Known World and her servant -- who introduced herself to Aliza as Gree -- had gone to great lengths to rid the tent of previous signs of Onya's servitude, there were still several items that told Aliza far more than anyone would have wanted her to know.

"I need drinking water," Aliza asked in a polite tone. "Can you ask the guards--"

Gree was already bowing deeply, responding with the expected respect, "I will fetch you water, Mistress."

"No!" Aliza snapped at the woman. When Gree looked up with surprise, Aliza said firmly, "You will not serve me as a slave."

Gree just stared, unsure of how to react. She'd been a slave since birth, first to Loro and now to Onya, though the latter had treated her with far more kindness.

Aliza could see the confusion in the young woman's face. And she was feeling a bit of confusion herself. How did she make use of Gree's services without treating her like a slave? It wasn't like Aliza could send the girl home at the end of her day with a coin in her pocket and a promise that if she didn't want to return the next day, that was her choice.

"You may serve me, Gree," Aliza said, stepping closer. She reached into a hidden pocket and withdrew a silver coin, pressing it into the girl's hand. "But not as a slave."

Gree stared the coin for a moment before Aliza stepped closer again and told her in almost a whisper a complex combination of lies and truths, "I need to find Lady Onya, just as your Chieftain Baldr does. I need to find her ... and keep her safe. I believe that she has been taken against her will by raiders from the Fenwater ... ruthless, violent men who will do all sorts of horrific things to your lady before she is finally blessed with the mercy of death. Or ... possibly stolen away from her betrothed ... from your own Chieftain, by rogue elements within his own Clan. I know that some of the men in this camp came from other Clans ... Clans that Lord Baldr conquered through force. Some of these men might see denying your Chieftain his marriage as revenge."

She pressed another coin into the girl's palm, asking, "Can you help me with that, Gree? Can you help me save your mistress? She's but a girl ... lost in a dangerous world with no one to protect her ... but me."

Gree stared at the coins for a moment, then clutched her hand around them. She smiled, nervous, and asked softly but with determination, "What can I tell you, Mist-- m'lady?"



Out at the perimeter:

"Our meeting is over now, you may go."

Click to expand...

Parta was disappointed that he hadn't been able to negotiate the release of the Priests, but he wasn't at all surprised. He was relieved, though, to find out that Baldr wasn't going to simply and summarily execute the three men and two women. He returned to his horse and led the small group away back to the City Wall. As they arrived, he found waiting for him the Darkness rider who had earlier reported the northbound scout.

"Have you received word about the rider?" he asked, knowing what the answer would be even before asking. When he was told that the word to stop the man had been passed, he simply said, "I want hourly updates. If the scout gets through and the Northern Army advances south..."

Parta didn't finish, instead only riding through the city to the Castle gate. If the entirety of Baldr's army rode south, Virta would fall. Virta would fall, then Vint, then the entire territory. And at some point during that defeat and collapse, Lady Onya would have to be handed back over to Baldr or -- as he'd promised -- the entire population of the Territory could face the sword.

Baldr sent his men away and had one of his bodyguards take care of his horse then strode into his tent. He ate a quick meal of bread, cheese and fruit while sipping on water while he waited for Aliza to have enough time to look around Onya's tent. Once he was sure enough time had passed and he had kept her waiting enough time beyond that, he strode forth and made his way to her tent.

Without any announcement he walked straight in. He wanted to see if he could catch her doing anything untoward. Smiling at her he walked to the small table and sat gesturing for her to do the same and then asked Gree to go and fetch them some Klatch.
The girls eyes widened. That drink was only brought out on special occasions and normally only served between respected members of the clans. She had never heard of it ever being served to a foreigner before. Yet she knew better than to disobey her chief and she hurried from the tent to fetch a bottle.

"So Aliza, have you made any discoveries we have not. I am sure with your extensive knowledge of the ways of southerners you have probably found something we have overlooked in our haste." he let a touch of sarcasm enter his voice and pierced her with a hard stare.

He listened to her reply then smiled. "Interesting. However our own investigation has led us to believe otherwise. Still you are the expert, perhaps you are right."

Gree returned with the bottle and two small cups and placed them on the table. "Ahh the Klatch. You must try this Aliza. It is a special brew only drunk on the most auspicious of occasions. I believe this is one of those times." He pulled the cork from the bottle and then poured two small shots of the liquid from within. it was as clear as any water and he lifted his cup to her and drank it straight down in one gulp. "Ahh the nectar of the gods. Please drink," he said gesturing at hers. When she looked at it with a slight grimace and hesitation he smiled. "perhaps you think I am trying to poison you." Reaching across he picked up her cup and drank it down smiling, then refilled them both. "Now too our partnership, may we find lady Onya together safe and well." he downed his third cup and looked at her expectantly.

Tyr was making good time but he was starting to experience headaches and his leg was burning. Damn, maybe that man had been right. However he trusted his horse and knew it would see him home. He placed a note in his satchel with their orders and then gritting his teeth he rode on. He had to get through or die trying.

In the Camp of Clan Baldr
Northwest of the City of Virta

While Gree went out to get Aliza's water, Aliza went to work falsifying the crime scene she'd been planned for Baldr. She planted evidence she'd slipped past the Chieftain inside her bosom, then found something to draw on, in this case a small piece of hide. It had featured a simplified map of the Unnamed Untamed, drawn in charcoal. It was the kind of map used by military patrols or merchants. She wiped away the charcoal and drew a picture on it using red, yellow, and blue colors from Onya's face paints.

Aliza finished setting the scene, then set forth to creating a distraction for him that she hoped would prevent him from thinking too deeply about the ruse she was creating. She unfastened the buckles over her belly again to free from her the corset-like lower half of her torso armor, then pulled at the leather thongs securing the metal and leather breast plate, dropping it, too.

She pulled the soft, black under shirt up over her head just in time to be topless when Baldr threw the tent's flap open and stepped inside. Aliza slapped her palms over her breasts just before he got a look at them, glaring as she accused, "What's next, are you going to rape me now, Lord Baldr?"

Aliza didn't know much about Northern society, but she knew that even amongst the heathens, privacy was a treasured thing amongst men and women of the same or similar class levels. Baldr was a Chieftain in his land, a noble or even a king. Aliza, though without title to lands, was the equivalent of a knight within the Territory of Virt, which placed her fairly close to the Northman's social status. And barging into the tent of a female guest was a violation of social norms, even for a heathen king.

Of course, Baldr's barging in hadn't been about social norms or a lack thereof. It had been about trying to catch her doing something wrong. Aliza knew it just as Baldr did.

Gree happened in almost on the Chieftain's tail. But before the pair could exchange words about the privacy violation, Aliza asked the servant, "May I borrow one of Lady Onya's blouses, Gree?"

The other woman hurried to her Mistress's collection of clothing, found a simple blouse, and hurried it to Aliza. The topless woman turned her back to Baldr and slipped the top over her head. When she turned, she adjusted the blouse about her bosom and shoulders. The fabric was a thin white woolen material, and while Onya's light pink nipples wouldn't have advertised themselves through the fabric, Aliza's dark ones -- especially after having been exposed to the chill in the tent -- pressed noticeably against the blouse, lifting it conspicuously at the fore ground of her young, firm breasts.

Baldr sent Gree out for Klatch, then quizzed the Darkness agent...

"So Aliza, have you made any discoveries we have not. I am sure with your extensive knowledge of the ways of southerners you have probably found something we have overlooked in our haste."

Click to expand...

"Overlooked, yes, m'lord," she responded immediately, "but not in haste. What I have uncovered you would not have noticed ... for you simply do not know the South ... you do not know the Fenwater ... and, as Lord Parta said before me, I believe it is criminals from the Fenwater -- a militia called the Lawmen -- who have taken Lady Onya from you. I wouldn't doubt that they soon send you a ransom request."

Aliza invited Baldr to follow her to the slit she'd cut into the back wall of the tent the night before. It was already sewn shut, but the evidence was still obvious. "These string ends at the point of the cut show the ragged nature of a blade made of poor quality iron that hasn't been sharpened in quite a while."

She stepped closer to a cask that once had held Northern Ale but now served as a table. She pointed to such a blade but made no attempt to life it, fearing Baldr might misunderstand. "I found this a hands width under Lady Onya's bed. I believe it was dropped by the abductors and that you simply missed it earlier."

In all honesty, she'd left it behind the night before to point toward a Fenwater attacker. Of course, she hadn't realized that she was going to be back here, but now that she was, it seemed to have been a good idea.

She walked back to the slit in the tent, continuing, "No Darkness agent would carry such a poorly maintained weapon. Cutting with it would have been loud and slow and would have jostled the tent, likely alerting the guards at the door, despite their being on the far side."

She lifted one of her feet, reached into her boot top and pulled out a razor that she'd mistakenly not turned over earlier. She pressed it's sharp edge against the tent's side and, with little effort and even less sound, sliced a five foot long vertical cut in the tarp. She tossed the razor onto the cask table

"Also ... the Darkness wouldn't have cut a vertical slit that could so easily be detected," she continued. She lifted her second boot, removed yet another razor, and leaned down over at the waist. As she intentionally flashed her ass in its tight fitting leather trousers, she sliced the razor through the leather thongs that connected the tent's sides to it floor. She lifted the side, showing a nice sized crawl space, saying, "I would have entered here ... removed Lady Onya ... and escaped with far less concern about being discovered."

Again, Aliza tossed the razor aside before looking to Baldr. She could see that he was mulling over her tale, but she doubted he was convinced. Luckily, she wasn't done yet. She moved nearer to Onya's side of the bed and collected from the floor several pieces of plant debris.

"Blue fern ... and Potter's vine," she said, walking back toward Baldr again. She smiled and tossed the small pieces of plant at him. They stuck to his skin and the cloth about his waist, causing Aliza to chuckle lightly. "They are from the Fenwater. They stick to anything that touches them. Horses, deer, bears, birds ... and men. Onya didn't bring them in here. And I doubt that you let random Warriors enter your betrothed's tent, so ... she didn't bring them in here. It is more likely that the men who took Lady Onya had recently been in the Fenwater. And the most likely culprits from the Fenwater call themselves the Lawmen."

Aliza had one more card to play. She retrieved the piece of hide on which she'd earlier been drawing and held it out before Baldr. It was a simple image of a woman's head, almost as if a talented child had drawn it.. She pointed to the image, noting the colored features, "Red hair ... fair skin ... blue eyes. Who ever drew this did not want the Lawmen to accidently take the servant ... what was her name, Gree? Dark hair, dark skin, and dark eyes she has. That means one of your Horse Warriors is working with the Lawmen, likely from one of the Clans you conquered ... but that this man is not in direct communications with the Lawmen, or he would have simply told them red hair, fair skin, blue eyes."

Aliza turned away from Baldr to give him time to consider her deductive reasoning ... and to create some more distraction. She sat on the cask table, back to Baldr, and removed her boots. Next, she unbuckled the belt about her waist and pulled her tight fitting leather pants off. Below the waist now, she wore only a pair thick woolen socks and a pair of panties that were small and tight, to fit well under her trousers. They showed off the round firm cheeks of her ass and the long, fit legs that -- once again -- showed the scars of battle. Still facing away from Baldr, she stood and donned a floor length skirt that she'd eyed earlier.

As she'd been undressing, Baldr had responded to her investigation...

"Interesting. However our own investigation has led us to believe otherwise. Still you are the expert, perhaps you are right."

Click to expand...

Gree returned with a bottle and two small cups.

"Ahh the Klatch. You must try this Aliza..."

Click to expand...

After he'd shown her it wasn't poisoned -- an actual fear Aliza had had -- Aliza lifted the small glass and downed it without hesitation. At one time or another, she'd tried every thing the Priests had ever brewed, distilled, or fermented. She'd had Klatch before, though as it burned its way to her stomach now, Aliza realized that this batch was much stronger than the one she'd enjoyed oh so many years ago.

She grimaced at the drink's effect nonetheless. She growled at the feeling of heat radiating outward from her belly, then laughed, short and sharp. "Another! I like this."

Aliza sensed appreciation for her courage in Baldr's expression, and after he'd refilled the glass and she'd gulped it down once more, she set the glass down before him to have it refilled again.

After her third, the Chieftain said...

"Now to our partnership, may we find lady Onya together safe and well."

Click to expand...

"Yes, partnership," she repeated, and after watching him down his glass again, so did she. Her body was practically exploding from the inside out, which made her laugh as she smacked the glass down for yet another refill. "About that..."

She spend the next hour telling him about The Fenwater, its people, and the Lawmen. By the time she turned the subject specifically to Onya, Aliza was feeling pretty good.

"To get Redfish from the Lawmen," Aliza said, not even realizing she'd used Onya's nickname. She continued, "we need'a take an army into the Fen' ... to Abad..."

She snatched up the glass, refilled for the sixth time, and again sucked its contents down in one big gulp, then mumbled to herself, "Traitors. Fucking traitors ... and murderers. Traitors, murderers, rapists ... all pigs."

She looked back up to Baldr, with drooping eyes, smiled broadly, then let her gaze fall to his muscular torso. She studied him for a moment, battling her desire to strip the both of them and mount what she was sure had to be a long, fat cock. When she looked back up into his eyes, her inebriated brain finally caught up with her and she laughed at her recollection of referring to Onya. "Redfish!

She laughed again, tapping the edge of her empty glass until Baldr filled it once more. She drained it once again, slammed it down onto the cask , studied Baldr for another long moment, then said bluntly and boldly, "Do you wanna fuck me ... m'lord?"

Baldr smiled as he watched Aliza go through her little ruse. Her reasoning was sound and well thought out with just enough truth to it and facts to back it up to cast doubt on what he knew to be true. If he did not already know certain things he might well have been swayed by her argument.

Her explanation for the slit in the back in the tent was true. He himself would never have cut upwards. Cutting the leathers securing the bottom of the tent was the most effective way and left little evidence to be spotted from the outside. However she was also right that the top of the cut was ragged, except that the rest of the cut had been done with a knife that had been razor sharp. He had been puzzled at that until she had produced that knife and given him that explanation. So already they had been planning on putting the blame on a specific people. He would however have to talk to the warriors who had searched this tent. They had failed to find the knife and that was inexcusable. However he was impressed that she had managed to keep two razors hidden on her person.

Her theory about the plant material however did not stand up to scrutiny. Gree had cleaned every inch of the tent that she was allowed to, twice. She had been so upset at the loss of her mistress she had wanted to make sure everything was in order for her return. He knew that the tent had been spotless. Besides her reasoning was flawed as well. If the people who took Onya had to make their way through the camp, to her tent, hiding all the way to avoid being spotted, it was highly unlikely they would still have any plant material that would easily drop off in just the right spot to identify them when Onya had not even struggled.

While she tried to distract him further by undressing in front of him, he examined the hide with her likeness on it. It did look a little something like her, and as a guide it was perfect. There was no one that looked like her in the clans so even though the picture was crude it was good enough. He caressed it and was surprised when the picture smudged. For something that was supposed to have been drawn days ago this was wrong. Smiling he rolled it up and put it in his pocket just as Gree came in with the Klatch.

As they drank he smiled as he watched her become more and more open. The woman had probably drunk something like this before or even something she thought was Klatch but no one knew the real secret recipe of making the true stuff except the clans. Gradually she became more and more intoxicated and she began to reveal more information. She told him all about the Fenwater, it's people and the lawmen. It was good information and would serve him well later and it seemed she had a personal grudge against them.

She then looked at him with a gaze he was used to, lust. Girls and women had been looking at him that way for years but he had rarely if ever taken them up on their offers. Still there was something about this woman. Then she looked at him and asked him bluntly, "Do you wanna fuck me ... m'lord?"

He was rather shocked. He had never had a free woman ask him that question that way. It was true she was a beauty, in fact she had a more beautiful body than Onya, but he found himself drawn to his redheaded bride to be and not this woman. Oh he had lustful thoughts about her of course but he had lived with those all his adult life and was used to repressing them. "Do I want to...Well of course I would like to. You are a very beautiful woman Aliza. Am I going to? No...No I am not. Perhaps when I have found Onya and we are married and I have her permission to seek a second wife then perhaps we can discuss this again. In fact I would very much like to discuss it again," he said reaching across the table and stroking her cheek.

Filling up her cup he downed his own and smiled at her. "Of course if you really want that to happen the quicker we find Onya the quicker we can be together. If you would only stop playing games and tell me exactly where she is perhaps I may even be convinced to not wait."

(FYI: I haven't found a picture of Aliza with her Darkness uniform off yet, so I'll just give a vague description for now. If you want to know her actual measurements and such, they are in her profile, here.)

"Do I want to...Well, of course I would like to. You are a very beautiful woman Aliza.

Click to expand...

Aliza's lips widened at Baldr's compliment. She was, in fact, a beautiful woman, though she rarely heard verbal confirmation of that fact from those she spent time with, those whose appreciation of her was based upon her skill with a bow or blade. She was a bit taller than the average woman, though certainly shorter the majority of her fellow Darkness Brothers and Sisters. She was slim, and though her curves were not nearly as dramatic as most women men lusted for, she was firm where firm was good, soft where soft was good. It is hadn't been for the multitude of scars -- some of which Baldr was yet to see, even after her earlier immodesties -- she might have been called perfect.

Now in Onya's looser fitting clothes, the Chieftain could see much of this beauty. And Aliza had been certain that he would be seeing more of it tonight, far more than either Aliza, Baldr, Parta, and particularly Onya would have expected.

But Baldr continued...

"Am I going to? No...No I am not."

Click to expand...

Aliza's smile began to fade. As she listened to Baldr's continuing response, she began to feel her failure. If she hadn't been so intoxicated, her brain would have reminded her that she hadn't come here tonight to seduce the Chieftain. But the Klatch had stripped away a great deal of her professionalism, and the greatest force pushing her now was her carnal desires...

...and need to win. Giving the invading Northman the greatest night of his life would have been a win for Aliza. As a woman, her Darkness training had included the art of seduction and pleasure, with both men and women. She knew she could do things for and to Baldr that even the most experienced tavern whore or ambitious Castle Courtier couldn't.

Concerning being with Aliza, Baldr finished...

"In fact I would very much like to discuss it again."

Click to expand...

Aliza didn't react to Baldr's stroking of her cheek, neither pulling away nor leaning into it. She simply stared at him as the fury of having been denied rose within her. She'd had a plan that Baldr had so very easily smashed to pieces by forgoing the lust she knew he had to be feeling for her.

She was going to suggest that the two of them lead into the Fenwater a combined force, his Horse Warriors and her Darkness assassins, to crush the Lawmen and -- as result -- return Lady Onya to safety. Aliza had even had thoughts -- drunken fantasies perhaps? -- that once Baldr had seen her at work he might discover enough lust and desire for her to forgo his marriage to Onya and stay with her instead. Oh, Aliza wouldn't stay with Baldr long, of course. She had no interest in being this heathen's lover, let alone his first wife. No, she just needed to get him mind off Onya long enough for the Darkness to do their duty.

Before and even as she'd been drinking the strong Klatch, Aliza had been certain she could control her words and actions sufficiently to fulfill her mission here tonight. But ... she was wrong. Before she knew what she was doing, she told Baldr, "Lady Onya is no longer within you reach, m'lord. She has already left the City. The High Priest of the City of Virta, under the protection of the Darkness, is taking your betrothed to the High Priestess ... who will arrange a marriage between the Heir to the Known World ... and a more proper Noble Lord."

As she'd been speaking, the contempt for Baldr had been growing more obvious in her tone. She reached out for her glass, lifted it, sucked down a final gulp, and threw the glass directly at Baldr, bouncing it off the Chieftain skull just above his left eye. Flipping her legs upwards, she rolled away from Baldr to her feet and ran for the hole she'd cut in the back of the tent.

It would have been a great escape ... if she hadn't been so drunk...

OOC: If you are following our story, a second thread begins here.

It follows the Clan rider, Tyr, who rode north and was shot by a poisoned arrow.

The first post of this thread, called "The Lady of the Lake", ends 13 days after Tyr left the encampment. Therefore, because it is so far out side the time line of the main thread, it is being written separately.

Baldr did not even feel the cup hit his head and was off his stool and after Aliza before she had taken two steps. He needn't have worried much though, she had obviously miscalculated just how much the Klatch would effect her. She had planned her escape well. The earlier cuts she had made in the tent to show him the difference in the way she would have entered and the difference in how sharp her blades were compared to the fenwater knife were now her escape routes. Whether this was her plan all along or just that she always had a back up plan just in case he admired her. Her mistake was that she had never drunk true northern Klatch.

She stumbled on her way and as she tried to dive through the horizontal slit she actually hit the side of the tent and bounced back onto the ground at Baldrs feet. Casually reaching down the big warrior lifted her up by encircling her neck with one hand and bringing her up off her feet, holding her in front of his face as she slowly began to choke.

He held her there until most of the fight had gone out of her before walking towards the bed and throwing her down on it. Systematically he stripped her of all her clothes and footwear until she lay naked before him and then ran his fingers through her hair. He did not trust her to not have any other weapons secreted about her person, especially after she had displayed just how easy she had gotten two razors past his guards.

While she struggled for breath he moved everything that could be used as a weapon away from arms reach then sat on her legs and pinned her arms above her head with one arm. Smiling down at her with malice he waited until her breathing was back to normal.

"So you have finally decided to forgo your lies and tell the truth. That is good. Now you are going to tell me the exact route these warriors took and when they left, how many there are and how they are armed. If not I am going to torture you. Oh I can see by your scars that you will not really care about that, and I doubt if I ravish your body you will care much about that either. However you are sworn to protect your Priests are you not? What if I was to start on those first? Perhaps one of those females. I am sure they have never felt the touch of a man before, perhaps it is time they did. In fact not just one man, but three at a time until she is used up and then we can kill her slowly in front of you. Of course if you haven't talked by then well we will just have to keep going. I have 2000 men and 5 priests. Do you think they will be able to service all of them before you talk?"

Aliza was shocked at Baldr's strength, even after having ogled his muscular bulk to much during the evening. She grasped his wrist with both hands to prevent him from simply breaking her neck as she tried kicking at him, but it was to no avail. After a long moment, Aliza's eye sight was fading from the lack of blood to her head, and she was certain she was going to black out, if not die.

She felt her body hit the bed, and felt the clothes being ripped from her body, and yet simply lay there, unable to do anything about it. Later she would defend her failure by excusing it as a very unfair fight: Baldr had twice her weight after all, and she had none of the weapons that she could normally have used to cut him into little pieces.

Aliza heard and understood just enough of what the Chieftain was saying to know what he wanted. And by the time he'd finished, she knew and understood that she couldn't give him what he wanted. But not because she wouldn't tell him: because she couldn't tell him.

"I don't know ... such infor- ... mation ... m'lord," she managed, still gasping for breath to replenish the oxygen her brain had been deprived. "I only know ... that she's gone."

She tried to tear her arms free with a skill she'd been taught during Darkness training, but the big man's grip on her hands and weight over her body were simply too much for her to break free from.

"Please, m'lord," she went on, still struggling for air. "Do not ... harm our Priests. They came to you ... to help your man ... to save the life ... the life ... of a man I put an arrow in. They are innocent ... of any wrong doing. Please ... do not do them harm."

Aliza hadn't been within earshot of Baldr when he'd made his threat at the wall to kill the man who had injured his Outrider, so she didn't know that he'd threatened to personally kill the archer in question. She finished, her breathing finally returning to her, "Please, m'lord. Do not punish these innocent priests for my actions. And please, do not let your man die because you are too proud to let us help him."

Baldr cursed. Her words had the ring of truth about them. She had been privy to the plan to move Onya but not as to the time of when. Still there were very few places they could have left from and fewer times they could have done so. His patrols were very thorough but he did not have the manpower to completely block off the entire length of the walls. There were gaps in the patrols in which a small force could sneak through.

He called out and immediately one of the men at the door rushed in. If he was surprised at the situation he found his chief in he made no comment. "Send a rider to the patrols on the wall leading to Vint. They are to look for signs of a small force that broke out from Varta and headed towards the city. Be quick, they can't have been gone long. Also send word to my Karant's. I want a force of 500 warriors ready to leave in the next ten minutes."

The man saluted with a fist to his heart and ran out and Baldr looked down at Aliza. He now had another dilemma. He had sworn to kill the Archer who had injured his man, but he had a feeling Onya would not be happy if her ex guardian was slaughtered by him. Besides it would be a waste of a perfectly good woman.

"Why do people always think they have the best healers," he said shaking his head. "We are not the savages you make us out to be. Your arrow was new to us but we have found a way to treat it and my man is doing fine. He will need some rest but he is looking forward to fighting again very soon," he smiled. "Besides we have our beliefs and what would you have me do, just ignore them when it became inconvenient? Do you ignore yours like that warrior of the Darkness?" he smiled down at her.

Shaking his head he eased up the pressure on her wrists some but still held her firm enough that she could not get away. "I have a dilemma Aliza of the Warriors of Virta. You have just confessed to me that you are the one that shot my man. I made a solemn vow to challenge and kill the person who did so. However my bride to be Onya remembers you fondly and would be very upset with me if I was to do so and may even grow cold towards me. Not a good way to start a marriage you must admit," he smiled. "However I have a proposal for you. If you give me your solemn word not to speak of this ever again I am prepared to allow you to stay here in my camp and once Onya is safely back with me again, you are to become her personal bodyguard along with her protector Yol. If you go back on your word, not only will you be used by every man in this camp, but every man in the entire North including the freeman and slaves. If there is anything left of you by the end of that well, maybe we will start with the horses," he smiled roughly."You can of course choose to take your chances fighting me that is up to you. So what say you Aliza, will you fight or wait for your charge?"

Aliza was overwhelmed with pain, both physical from Baldr's savage attack of her; and mental, from the affects of the Klatch and -- yet again -- the brutal beating. She ceased all fight against the powerful man now as she tried to process what he was offering. She contemplated the options...

...but she didn't get immediately to them as her stomach retched. She clamped her lips together, then turned her head. Baldr must have understood what was about to come, because he forcefully rolled her off the bed to the tarp covering the dirt floor of the tent, where Aliza immediately erupted. It was a horrid cleansing of her gut, a smell and burning like none she'd ever experienced in her life.

For longer than she would have ever imagined, her body jerked and twitched, until finally there was nothing left inside her to be expelled. Her eyes were glazed over with pain tears, her face whiter than a person of her race should ever look unless dead ... which, of course, was how she felt now.

Some time during this mayhem, the servant Gree entered the tent and came to tend to Aliza. The Darkness assassin had no idea whether this had been by Baldr's explicit direction or by his simple allowance of the help. But soon, Gree had Aliza's face cleaned, her mouth cleared with fresh water, and a loose fitting gown slung over her shoulders.

"Thank you," Aliza murmured. She told the servant to leave, saying, "I'll alright now. Please ... I need to speak with your Lord."

After Gree helped her to her unsteady feet, then departed, Aliza stood with her gaze down and her shoulders slumped. She took a series of steadying breathes, then dropped to her knees before the Chieftain, confirming her submission. "I beg of you, Lord Baldr. Release the Priests ... unharmed. And ... if you spare my life ... if you protect Lady Onya when you find her--"

Aliza didn't say if you find Onya. She knew Baldr would find his betrothed, because -- to save the lives of those who deserved saving -- she was about to make a commitment that would change her life forever. She continued, "--if you vow to give her the respect and honor she deserves as the Heir to the Throne of the Known World ... if you spare the innocents of the City of Virta ... men, women, and children who have suffered so greatly yet done no harm themselves..."

She looked up into Baldr's eyes now, wanting him to see her total commitment and honesty in her words. "I will find Onya myself ... and return her to you. You have my vow as a member of the Darkness ... and a follower of the Goddess Un."

Invoking the Goddess of Un was the most solemn thing a member of the Darkness could do. Of course, most of the Northmen didn't follow the Old Religion, so Aliza knew there was a possibility her vow wouldn't mean anything to Baldr. But, she didn't know that the Chieftain's mother had been from the South and had raised him to understand what Aliza's vow meant.

She dropped her gaze again in submission, telling him, "Command me, Lord Baldr ... and I shall obey."

Baldr looked down at the woman kneeling before him. He knew that by invoking the Goddess Un she was effectively promising by her very soul. There was no way she would break the vow she had just committed herself to. He could now trust her to do exactly what she had said. Still what she had said did not mesh with what he had asked. He did not want her to find Onya, he would do that himself and he did not need her dictating the terms of her surrender. She was his to do with as he saw fit. Yet he was impressed with her and maybe she could still prove useful.

"I agree to release the priests. They are no longer of use to me anyway. With Onya now no longer in Varta I also have no reason to destroy it so the people are safe. However my men will remain here so your warriors can't pursue me as I go after Onya."

He looked down at her and smiled. "I also don't need you to tell me how to treat my wife. It may come as a shock to you Aliza of the Darkness, but I truly love that woman. Not just for the titles she brings but for the woman she is. If I did not I would not be taking her for my bride. Do you truly think I need her to conquer these lands?" he chuckled. "This is but a small part of my army. No one in the entire South has an army as big as mine and no one will join together to defeat me. You all squabble among yourselves and hide in your own lands hoping you will not be next. That is why I would win. However now I have found a true Queen to rule at my side and perhaps some will flock to her banner and survive what is coming if they swear fealty to us."

He smiled grimly down at her. "However like you if their word is broken they will not survive to regret it. For now you will be bound here in this tent until I am sure I can trust you. Prove to me your loyalty and you will serve me the rest of your days as a free woman."

He walked to the door and talked to the remaining guard and soon a small chain and anklet was brought back. Approaching her he snapped the anklet on her and then measured out the chain and then attached it to the tent pole. "This allows you the freedom of the tent. Gree will have thee key and will get you whatever you need. She will accompany you to the privy and back and you may have it off when you bathe. Knowing your training it will be a simple matter for you to remove it and escape or escape when it is off. That is your test, to not do so."

He turned and left calling for Gree and handing her the key explaining her new duties. He then called for the priests to be brought to him and he began leading them towards the gates as he blew a horn signalling that he wished to talk.

Aliza was torn. She had gotten what she wanted ... yet become a slave in doing so. Oh, Baldr hadn't used the word slave, of course. But ... she would be one all the same.

"I will not flee, m'lord," Aliza vowed, her head down.

After he left, she contemplated her situation for a moment, then looked up to see Gree standing over her with a devastated expression on her face. Aliza stood, extended her chained foot a bit, and said, "Remove this."

Gree moved quickly to unlock the binding, then asked, "Do you need to bathe, m'lady?"

"No," Aliza answered, turning back toward the bed before adding, "and do not call me m'lady. Call me Aliza."

Gree nodded respectfully, asking, "Do you need to make water, then?"

Aliza laid down on the bed, her back to the servant.

Gree realized suddenly that she'd let Aliza loose without cause. She'd been tricked. Hadn't she? Was the Darkness assassin now free to flee? She didn't know how to address the situation without overstepping her bounds as a servant to Aliza. Then, she remembered that she didn't serve Aliza. She served Baldr.

"I will not flee," Aliza said, as if reading the younger woman's mind.

Gree just continued to stand over Aliza for a couple of minutes, struggling ... and then she realized that the woman was asleep. She moved to a pile of bedding, wrapped herself in a blanket, and squatted to watch over the prisoner. She was ready to sit here and guard Aliza all night ... but ... she fell asleep...

In several hours, when she awoke at sunrise, she would panic and jump to her feet, expecting Aliza to be long gone. But she would instead find the woman still soundly asleep...



Outside at the camp perimeter:

"Lord Parta!"

The First Captain had been on the edge of sleep for hours and yet unable to get his mind to slow down enough for slumber. He jerked to at the sound of her Lieutenant and stood, hurrying toward the door of his office out of habit. "What is it?"

"Horn, m'lord. And envoy is coming out from the camp."

Parta donned his armor and arms on the move, with the last of the buckles being latched as he was handed the reins to his horse. By the time he was out the gate and up the rise to the tent that had been erected for negotiations, the Northern delegation was already present. And, as Parta had hoped, it included the Chieftain.

He dismounted from his horse thirty yards short of the tent and walked the rest of the way. He strode with confidence despite being uncertain of just what the situation between the two nations was right now. Then, he stopped short at the sight of the Priests, his heart leaping in his throat.

Parta returned to walking forward, his mind filled with questions about how Aliza had managed this. He stopped short of the tent, removed his weapons belt, and handed it to his Lieutenant before walking under the cover. "Good evening, Lord Baldr."