Fathomed Fear...

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

A small fire flickered gently in the hearth, casting a soft light upon the stone floor. Within the usually serine and orderly chambers of Seth Exodus chaos and restlessness filled the air; along with a thick cloud of tobacco smoke.

 

Seth paced about his sitting room in great agitation; his open dressing down, in place of his waist-coat, billowed out behind him. His spectacles rested high on his forehead, as his eyes were weary and blood-shot. His moustache bristled, and twitched every now and again. And he puffed furiously at the silver-bowled pipe clenched tightly in his teeth.

 

Sadly, his chambers were in no better condition than their keeper. The stone floor and rich center rug were barely visible under a vast carpet of sheet music and loose parchment. Upon the fire side table sat a half empty bottle of Cheri, and Seth’s violin and bow. On the center table was a mountain of books, scrolls and papers. To any who knew Seth, this would be a strange scene indeed.

 

Reaching into his vest pocket, Seth glanced at his watch. “Ten and two ‘til midnight; the bewitching hour is fast upon us,” he muttered under his breath. All night he had been unable to find rest; some uneasiness and grip of his heart. And so he paced, waiting either for sleep to pull shut his eyes, or the pale light of dawn to brighten them.

 

Seth walked wearily under the stone archway opening to his study. Sitting down at his drawing table he gazed over the finished and unfinished cartoons, and notes for works to come; but he could not find mind to put pencil to paper. Rather, he sat, spinning his pencil in his fingers. He sighed deeply and tossed down the pencil, and went to his great oak writing desk. But here too he only sat caressing the feather quill betwixt his fingers. “Can’t work, can’t sleep; I’m losing my senses!” he exclaimed as he left the study.

 

Seth picked up the cue ball from the billiard table in the games room. He rolled it down the table and it hit hard, scattering several balls, and shattering the silence. He walked about aimlessly, fingering a dart he had plucked from the dartboard.

 

From the far corner of the room came a very raspy and hushed sound. It fell upon Seth’s ears as: “I am fear!” He spun about sharply, though nothing met his eyes. Moments passed and still nothing.

 

“You are tired, old bay,” he said to himself. Turning, he tossed the dart back at the board. Bull’s-eye. He ambled out of the room.

 

Back in the sitting room, Seth replaced his pipe on the rack, cinched up his dressing gown and went out onto the balcony. The full moon beamed brightly in the night sky, and the heavens were dotted with glimmering stars. Leaning on the marble railing he gazed down into the courtyard; all was silver and gray. “A walk! A walk would clear my head,” he said, turning to go inside.

 

“I am fear!” came the repeated whisper. Though, it was lost on Seth, as he was already gone.

 

Seth, now in a black frock coat, reached for his coat rack. He fastened his cape on its silver chain, dawned a black bowler hat, and took up his cane. Descending the tower stairs he set off down the hall, humming a tune.

 

The halls of The Keep were deserted at this hour, and Seth made it to the courtyard without seeing a soul. Although, he thought he saw the sleek silhouette of Carbonne, Celes’s cat, at the end of a corridor once. The moon was still high on its nocturnal flight when Seth passed through the orchard; and the night air was delightfully cool, he thought to himself, as it moved on a light breeze.

 

As he passed a low, leafy hedge, Seth cringed. “I am fear!” The words hit heavily on Seth, but this time he acted. He struck furiously at the hedge with his cane. Leaves flew up and were carried off on the breeze. Seth was left there breathing hard, and looking down upon the barren, broken branches; nothing more.

 

~ This is but the first installment, more to come soon.~

 

 

 

Yours truly,

Seth Exodus

Initiate of The Pen

[Guest Zephryin]

Oh man, that's good!!!

 

If you stop now, I swear to God I will skin you alive!

 

p.s. - I recommend doing a flashback scene, maybe more thoroughly explaining how the main character comes to be so agitated. It's good as is, but could use a slightly better setup. But then, that's just my worthless opinion...

Edited by: Zephryin at: 4/4/02 3:25:44 pm

[Justin Silverblade]

I chatted with ya, Seth, so you know my bit. Very good and I do hope you hurry the other posts along.

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

Skinned alive, Zephryn? Well, that's encouragment enough for me. Here is the second installment.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Shaken, Seth carried on to the garden. “Get a grip, old boy,” he said to himself. Just as he was calming down, however, a shadow passed through the trees towards him. This time, in the blink of an eye, he had half drawn his sword from the cane shaft.

 

“Easy there, Seth!” The moonlight twinkled in the soft eyes of the almost-knight, Justin Silverblade.

 

“Justin!” Seth exclaimed, with a great sigh of relief. “You scared me half to death.”

 

“I keep telling you, it’s all that tea you drink,” Justin said with a grin. “Come, you must walk with me.” He put a large yet kindly hand on Seth’s shoulder and led him on.

 

They walked on slowly towards the garden, not saying much of anything at all. “Whoa! Justin, you’re more run-down than your mood lets on.” They had been walking along an open path, and for the first time, Seth saw Justin’s face clearly in the moonlight. His features were shallower than usual; his eyes deep-set and dull. His whole face was a weary and haggard picture.

 

“Yes…I must be over-worked,” Justin said turning away and rubbing his eyes with a pale hand. “You know, you’re right. I should go sleep. Good night, Seth.”

 

“Uh… sweet dreams…Justin.” He was slightly taken aback by his friend’s hasty retreat; but thought nothing more of it, and carried on through the night. Looking back, Justin was no where in sight; but he probably just slipped off through the trees, right?”

 

The pond was smooth as glass, and reflected the shimmering mural above as Seth approached. He paused at its edge and looked out thoughtfully; he was running through possible poems in his head. But something broke the serenity of the scene and forced Seth to look up. A large shadow glided, almost danced, over the surface of the water and created a moving void wherein there once diamond like stars. And, again, from somewhere above, the raspy whisper was heard. “I am fear!” barely audible this time.

 

Seth shot a glance upwards and saw an unexpected sight. Bhurin glided silently by on the nightly breeze. At first, the only queer thing to Seth was the hour, but more was caught by Seth’s keen eyes. “’Tis a sight I’ve not seen in many a day.” As Bhurin passed over-head, heeding not his companion below, the moon-light glinted off his metal face plate; which had not been seen since Seth first applied at the Pen. “Odd indeed. Wha…?!” The words were plucked from Seth’s lips as he gazed at Bhurin’s barrel chest. “CT” was embroidered in gold thread over his heart. “The Crystal Tides,” he muttered under his breath as Bhurin passed from sight beyond the roof of the Keep. “Something is afoot, or I’m as thick as stunned as Brute on a bender.”

 

Seth walked around for a good length of time in a fog as he tried to piece together the events of the night. He had absentmindedly drawn his sword, the cane shaft hung from its ring at his side, and he caressed the cold, silver blade. “Justin a fearsome sight, Bhurin in his old garbs, fear; it defies logic.” He spoke aloud unknowingly.

 

The trees themselves seemed to speak: “I am fear!”

 

“Let me be, you unseen devil!” Seth swung his sword frantically at the branches around him.

 

“Well, why can’t I be, then?” came a merrier voice, this time. Foe Calibur sprang lightly from the leaves.

 

“Good Lord… Foe, it’s you! Uh… why can’t you be what?” Seth’s head was pounding and his face was flushed; though, he tried to remain composed.

 

Glad you’re here, Seth, that’s all.”

 

“Is that what you said? For the love of…I thought you said…umm… never mind. What brings you out at this hour?”

 

“I don’t know, I just enjoy sitting out at night; nature at its calmest, you know? You think it odd?”

 

“This would be the night for it, if I did,” he muttered under his breath.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Oh, nothing, I was just commenting…” Again words failed Seth as he took notice of something. Foe’s ears. They were rounded, curved like a normal man’s; devoid of the sleek elven point.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hope that tides you over for a while. Enjoy.

 

-Seth exodus

Initiate of The Pen

[Justin Silverblade]

Justin takes a look at his watch.

 

"Well Seth, that'll do for a few more... minutes."

 

~Good work, keep writing!~

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

“Who are you?” Seth held the point of his blade at the elf’s chest. “Who are you, and why do you haunt me?” His voice quivered and his shook uncontrollably.

 

“Why, Seth, you know who I am,” Foe replied in a calming tone; and then vanished.

 

“ I am fear!” Seth spun about and came face to face with Justin again. “Or, rather, I am YOUR fear!” and then he too was gone.

 

“You are not who you appear to be, why?” Seth spun in a panic, his sword still raised; the moonlight glinting off the steel, blinking in the shadows.

 

“Your friends are your fear; your fear and your joy. We both know it.” Now it was Wyvern who grinned at Seth, swishing his tail menacingly. But he was as soon as Seth laid eyes on him.

 

“Why do you torment me?” Seth’s voice rose and cracked as he continued to turn about.

 

“For sport, silly boy.” It was the milky smooth voice of Celes that fell on his ears now. She sat cross-legged on a tree stump, Cambronne in her lap, and silk draped from her shoulders; and then, of course, vanished.

 

Bhurins voice then boomed, “Defeat me, and this is a dream.” Seth nearly careened into the great winged one. “But lose…” and he was gone.

 

“Then we shall see, my preciousssss, then we shall see,” came a sharp hiss; though, with no face to match it to.

 

Seth, by this time, had come out of his panicked state; and he inhaled deeply to regain his senses. “Fear you say you are, but from your conduct I think you are fearful more than feared!” Seth was the only one to be seen; though, he knew he was not alone. He boldly stood his ground, and accepted the challenge given to him. “Come then, I shall defeat you! If truly you are my fear, then I made you- I brought you into this world, and I can take you out again. Come, and be conquered.” He took his stance; common among traditional rapier fighters.

 

Long he stood there, motionless, and only the whistle of the wind to be heard. Finally, the same raspy voice as before croaked a reply. “Bold you are, but we shall see

 

        How long you last when facing me.

        It will be quick, for soon you’ll feel

        My sting; and at my feet you’ll kneel.”

 

Before Seth’s eyes a sword appeared, floating in mid-air. It was a rapier of gold, with jewel encrusted hilt and blade. Seth was taken in by its beauty, for but a heart beat; then it struck. A great sweeping blow aimed to the right. Seth easily deflected; though, the magnitude of his opponent’s strength was now clear to him. Seth came back and struck three times at the blade, as it was his only target, and the two blades sang high and shrill with every blow.

 

        “You speak in rhyme, I’ll play your game

And defeat you still all the same.

        You tricked me once, shame on you.

        I know your style, you shan’t get number two.”

 

Steel clashed on steel, and Seth didn’t even pause as these lines he spoke. A feint and coupe countered with a parrie and a dodge by Seth; with such a target he was forced on the defensive.

 

        “You speak the truth, perhaps you’re right;

        You are well skilled in this form of fight.

        A new game we’ll play, I think,

        And in this, push you to the brink.”

 

As the voice faded into the night, the phantom rapier stopped its advance and floated motionless. Seth pulled down hard on his blade and struck square on the other. The blade shattered and was gone in a wisp of smoke. Grounding the tip, Seth leaned on his sword and caught his breath.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

And, viola! Enjoy.

 

Yours truly,

Seth Exodus

Initaite of The Pen

[Guest Foe Calibur]

What a time to stop! You certainly know how to build the suspence Seth.

 

I look forward to the next instalment

[Guest Belizean1]

I totally agree with Foe.....

 

Have you ever thought of being a writer of tv show scripts? You would get people hooked so easily

[Justin Silverblade]

Great bit Seth.

 

Can't wait for more!

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

The next challenge was issued by a voice behind Seth. The low, raspy voice was gone; Seth knew this voice, and feared to look.

 

        “The tides have turned, now you face me.

        The victor to see, who will it be?

        I’ll test your mind, and see what you know.

        I am your friend, and yet I am your Foe.”

 

Seth turned and met the steely gaze of his Elven friend, Foe.

 

“I fear you not, ‘tis plain to see.

        No glint of doubt you’ll see in me.

        But…”

 

Seth was cut short. “Drop the rhyme, old boy; that’s old hat, now.”

“Very well.” Seth slipped his blade back into his cane shaft and rested his on it before him. “Let’s have at it, then.”

 

Foe paced about with a malicious grin on his lips. “A battle of wits, then. Do try and hold your own, Seth.”

 

“A battle of wits?!” Seth laughed. “You against me?! Oh, come now! Unless you intend to bore me with your Elven lore, you may as well concede right now.”

 

“You speak hastily, as all men do,” growled Foe. “I suggest you give thought before you speak from here on.”

 

“And I suggest you speak quickly, before I give thought to going over there and giving a new point to those ears of yours; start already!” shot back Seth

 

“Very well.

 

        Seven men, pure and true, on seven golden horns they blew. To rain on earth death and woe, and with the key, release His foe. Seven more come and go, bringing, each, the final blow. Finally his work is done, so to home above all good men run.” Foe leaned against a tree and folded his arms.

 

“ Riddles? Hum!…” Seth paused to think. “Ah! It’s so simple, of course; it’s scripture. Revelations, seven Angels with seven trumpets summon destruction on the world. Seven more come, thereafter, and bring the final seven plagues of God. Really, Foe, try a little harder.” Seth’s face beamed almost as brightly as the moon light; the first battle won was his; though, the war be not over.

 

The grin was gone from Foe’s face, and he narrowed his eyes. He almost seemed to stagger on the spot, and his face sunk. “A lucky guess, it shan’t happen again. Four horsemen of the apocalypse, four horses, how many men total?” An evil smile was again on Foe’s lips; though, this time he stood tense.

 

Seth was silent for a moment as he removed his glasses and cleaned them. Slipping them back on his face, he calmly eyed his adversary. “I’m disappointed, Foe, you challenge me in my own element. Do you try and conquer the shark while he’s in the sea?” Seth shook his head. “Four horsemen.”

 

Foe cast back his head in laughter. “Wron…”

 

“And Hades followed close behind,” Seth cut in. “Total: Five!”

 

Foe let out a shriek and stumbled again. “Curse you!” he raged, a shadow cast over his once-bright features, “But,” he straightened and composed himself. “Perhaps you are right. I’m making this too easy for you.” He nimbly jumped into a near-by tree and sat himself on a low-hanging limb. There he sat in silent thought.

 

The moon soared ever across the night sky, fleeing from the approaching dawn; which was only mere hours away. Long Foe sat thinking, saying naught. Finally Seth broke the silence. “Look here, I lose patience; make haste with your thought, or be done with it.” Still, Foe said nothing, and then stirred to speak.

 

“Hold your forked-tongue, villain,” Seth thundered, cutting his adversary short. Seth drew himself up. He stood tall, resolute and commanding; the nobility of his lineage was now chiseled into his features. “Foe you may resemble, but ‘tis only skin deep. You posses not his fair heart, nor his sharp mind; that is your soft under-belly, you serpent, and there I shall strike!”

 

Foe could not have looked more stunned if Seth had struck him. He licked his dry lips and muttered, “Come on, then.” Which came out on a quivering breath.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Yours truly,

Seth Exodus

Initiate of The Pen

[Justin Silverblade]

Gotta say my friend,

 

I keep reading it, and I keep loving it.

 

Good work!

Edited April 29, 2004 by Alaeha

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

It's been a while, but I have more. My apologies for the delay, I'll try to keep better pace in the future. So, here it is-enjoy.

 

P.S. See if you can figure out what's going on here before the end of it.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Now it was Seth who paced about, eyeing an anxious and fidgeting Foe with an icy stare. His features were cast in shadow, and only his glasses, which gleamed dully in the moonlight, could be seen in his dark silhouette.

 

Foe stirred in the tree above. “Now who should make haste…?”

 

“I gave you no leave to speak!” Seth shot back. Foe settled back with the indignant air of a rebuked child.

 

“From Hell’s heat I stab at thee!” Seth thundered, gesturing sharply with his cane towards Foe. “There is more of gravy than of grave to you.”

 

“Foe’s eyebrow raised baffled. “You’re losing your wit, Seth, spouting gibberish.”

 

“And you are falling behind, Foe. `Big brother is watching.’”

 

“Oh ho! You are mad! Perhaps my design is already got?”

 

“It is done.”

 

Both were silent for a time; Seth blank-faced and statuesque, Foe dazed and confused. Finally, Foe broke the silence. “No mad man would admit to being such. What game do you play, Seth?” He cocked his head and smiled at the unmoving noble.

 

Seth grinned widely now. “Perhaps I am just not myself tonight.”

 

“Indeed?”

 

“` Too little butter over too much bread’ I think.”

 

Foe pressed his fingers to his eyes and sighed deeply. “Seth, you fool, you waste my time. Do you wish to die with the words of a fool on your lips? Play the game or I shall come down and be done with you!” Foe’s face was stern and piercing; though, Seth wavered not.

 

“No, you play the game or be gone.”

 

“This is madness! And that’s my card.” A slight smile came over Foe but was gone again almost immediately. “You speak the tongues of mad men and call it game.” Foe threw up his hands up in exasperation. “Your time is come.” He sprang lightly from the tree and advanced on Seth; still unmoving.

 

Foe was mere yards from Seth and still advancing. The pale moonlight illuminated a glow of mad joy on his features. His hands were raised as if to clutch at Seth.

 

“Captain Ahab to the great white whale, Moby Dick. Ebenezer Scrooge to the ghost of Marley, A Christmas Carol. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell. And finally, Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien.” Foe stopped his advance; a stricken look upon his face. “Yes, Foe, they were literary quotes, and you missed them; every one!”

 

Foe started. “That’s not fair!” he shrieked. He gave a snarl and ran like a man possessed towards the wall. Then he leapt; high into the night sky, then down over the wall and was gone.

 

Seth dabbed at the beads of sweat that had formed on his brow with his handkerchief. He let fall his head back and looked up to the heavens. “Oh, Lord, let this night be done, come what may,” he muttered under his breath. Far over head a star twinkled and went out.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Yours truly,

Seth Exodus

Initiate of The Pen

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

The prayer had but left his lips when Seth shivered at yet another sound. Soft applause echoed out from the shadows beneath the wall behind Seth. The clapping grew as a figure emerged from the dark.

 

“Bravo! Well played, Seth.” Seth narrowed his eyes as he took in this new figure and his moustache twitched. The form of a man clad in blue faced him, a cane hanging from his forearm, his hands clasped before him and a smile on his lips.

 

“Tek,” Seth said coldly.

 

“Indeed, ‘tis I; glad you remember me, Seth. Come, and greet your old friend and brother in arms,” Tek said, an arm outstretched.

 

Indeed, Seth looked upon his old friend and guild master, but he moved not. He knew that it was not Tek, his hair was charcoal gray and a twinkle of vice was in his usually cheery eye.

 

“Et tu, Tekkorin? Do you haunt me as well?”

 

“Haunt you? My dear Seth, I bring naught but good tidings to you.”

 

“So too claimed the snake in Eden.”

 

Tek smiled. “Oh, touché. You always did apply that…book to everything.” His voice sank and he spoke with biting disdain. Half hidden in the shadows, Tek now stepped full into the moonlight. On his arm was a maiden. Tek receded to the shadows once more, leaving the lady to face Seth.

 

The maiden stood tall and proud before Seth; she was dainty yet equal to him in stature. Deep golden brown hair hung to her shoulders and danced in the night breeze. Soulful blue eyes gleamed in the starlight and her tightly pursed lips were as soft and lovely as a young spring rose. Her brow was adorned with a halo of silver and a silver chain hung from her neck, suspending a small, jeweled, silver cross. Her hands were folded curtly before her and from either arm and round back of her waist hung a silken sash of gray. She was clad in a sleek, black evening gown, flowing to the ground. An angelic form, indeed, with an air less than that.

 

“No! No! No! If there be any good in this world, haunt me not with this form!” Seth paced about wildly, talking to no one and anyone that listened. “Speak naught and leave me be; I’ll take no more!”

 

The Lady stood silent throughout all of this, watching her Lord in his frantic state.

 

“Calm yourself, my love. Are you not glad to see me?”

 

Seth stopped dead and gazed on the maiden.

 

“Nay, speak not these words to me, for they be false.”

 

“You thought them true before.”

 

“Indeed, when they were true. But you were lost to me, a lifetime, it seems, and with you died these words.”

 

The Lady walked towards Seth, hand out-stretched. “Take my hand and know I am who you long me to be. I am come back to you.”

 

Seth staggered back and held up a shaking hand.

 

“No, this cannot be. You are not my wife; my Eve.” Tears blurred Seth’s eyes and burned his cheeks.

 

“Did you not bury me in the church yard?”

 

“I did not- I could not. You were lost to me and I could not seek you for even that end.”

 

“Then how do you know I did, indeed, perish?”

 

“I saw…”Seth was sobbing by this time and his breath was short. “I saw you fall…the night of the attack.” Seth put his face in his hands and wept. Through his mind raced a nightmare that he once lived.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ooc: I finally found a way to present some of Seth's history; I'm really excited about the coming parts of the story. Hope you enjoy as well.

 

Yours truly,

Lord Seth exodus

Initiate of The Pen

[Guest Lord Seth Exodus]

Okay, it's been a while but here's the next installment. This part, and the few to follow are all a flash back in Seth's mind. Hope you can keep up; enjoy.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Run, my love, run!! To the courts.” The Lord Seth Exodus took flight down the castle corridor. Just before him, in a flowing black gown, raced the Lady Evangeline; her face flushed and hair streaming. As they rounded a corner a soldier stepped out in front of them; he wore the blue and black colours of the Regal Consistory.

 

“They’re here…” the words stopped on the soldiers tongue as Seth’s rapier pierced his throat and he fell dead.

 

The Lady gave a cry and tears sprang to her eyes.

 

“Oh, Seth!” She could do naught but look on the fallen man.

 

“Come, dear, this way.” Seth put an arm around her and led her down the hall.

 

They reached the outer courts where a large gathering of soldiers awaited them; though, this time they bore the black and silver of the Exodus household.

 

Archers lined the upper walls, footmen stood before the barred gates, pike men stood on either side, a skeleton cavalry lined the walls, and in the center stood the Knights of Exodus, gleaming in silver armor. Seth sprang unto a fountain in the center of the court and beheld what was left of his army; less than ten score of men.

 

“Men of valor of the house of Exodus, you Lord calls you to battle. If never before you have sought reason to fight, seek now and find reason. Our Consistory, that which we have worked so hard to build and follow, has been deceived. Evil knocks at our gates to claim us. So, take arms for Lord, Lady and God.” He paused to scan the whole assembly and let his words sink in.

 

“God bless and keep you all!”

 

At that a thundering boom shook the grounds and a beam in the gate cracked. Again and again the thunder fell and the gate shook and cracked.

 

“Archers stand ready-on my mark!” Seth cried as the final blow fell. The gates gave way and crumpled to the ground, kicking up a great cloud of dust. None moved as the dust heavy in the air and though they waited no advance was made on the courts. Finally, as the dust settled, they looked out through the open gateway and beheld a sight.

 

Before the gateway and across the sloping land stretched the forces of the Regal Consistory. Twenty score of men, at least; out numbering the Exodus battalion by two to one.

 

“Good Lord!” Seth muttered under his breath.

 

A shout was heard from outside, followed by a troop of soldiers charging the open gate.

 

“Drop the bars!” Seth commanded. The heavy iron bars fell, blocking the gateway and stopped the charge. This didn’t, however, do much to stop the sting of the enemy bowmen.

 

“Footmen, charge wall formation, at the gate, now!” Men scrambled to the gate and help their shields to the bars, forming a wall two men high. Just as they settled formation a hail of arrows struck their shields and glanced off.

 

“The rest of you, to the walls. Cavalry, hold the courts and back the gate.” Seth strode up the stone stairs to the parapet, but then stopped. He turned back and looked on his wife, who still stood by the fountain; arms wrapped about her and great distress on her face. Seth descended the stairs again and went to her.

 

“Eve,” he took her in his arms and kissed her gently.

 

“Go to the far guard station, at the back of the court and stay there until I come for you.” He turned and called two of his knights over.

 

“Valance! Tarton!” They bowed to their Lord.

 

“Stay with the Lady and see that no harm befalls her.” They saluted sharply.

 

“Go now, my dear, and pray for us all.” They kissed again and Seth was up the stairs once more.

 

All was still; on the wall and in the army below. An emissary had come forward and a great grey stallion and awaited Seth.

 

“What business have you here? Leave my lands!” Seth called over.

 

“The Lord Maynard Ellingham calls upon you to relinquish your position on the council, give up your lands and your wealth. In the name of the Regal Consistory, we place you under arrest.”

 

“On what charges?”

 

“Deception of the Council by means of a false lineage to gain your position.”

 

“Deception of the Council?! A false what? Of all the absurdities… You speak of deception but look to the wrong party. Where is your Lord in all this? Look to him if you speak of deception.” Seth looked down on the assembly over his spectacles and certainly looked the nobility that his lineage told of. The emissary scowled.

 

“The doings of the Lord Ellingham is not your concern, and slander will not help your position, Lord Exodus. Will you not come of your accord?”

 

Seth was silent and unmoving for a time.

 

“I may be well versed in speech, but a bowstring sings better than I.” At that the Exodus bowmen let sing their strings and sent a rain of arrows over the first regiment of enemy soldiers. One arrow sank deep into the leg of the emissary and he rode back, clutching his bleeding leg and cursing at Seth. And thus the battle began.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Yours very truly,

Lord Seth Exodus