The Aureate War
Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:01 am
Though winter gripped Goldshire, the sun still shone, and the Ducal Palace gleamed in its reflection. From the Interior Palace a man dressed in a newly-tailored uniform of the Order of Vajra stalked, surrounded by aides. He ignored most of their paper-waving and pleas, instead staring fixedly ahead in furious contemplation. When the small crowd had reached the Great Lake, he turned to them, glowering.
"If you don't leave me be you and all your precious paperwork will go into this lake. With lead weights for companionship."
The palace mandarins quailed at that, and the more cowardly elements of the ensemble meekly proceeded back to their heated offices. The lake behind the man steamed as the weak sunshine melted the top layer of ice, and every so often one of the enormous trees around its shore shed another load of snow, which hit the ice with a splatting sound.
Of those who were brave enough to stay, only one was dressed similarly to their quarry. This man, whose insignia marked him as a Jaal of the Parvatvana Brigade, stepped to the fore. The Jaal's name was Avi Aritoko, and he regarded the belligerent fellow. Steward barely a day and he was already terrifying the bureaucrats. Usually it took about a week. But then again, Wil Nider had become Duke...no, Steward, in somewhat different circumstances.
"Steward," the Jaal began, his pleasant baritone disturbing the Hyperborean's reverie. The Steward looked up, and met his military liaison's eyes. "What do you want, Jaal Aritoko?" Nider asked matter-of-factly, not to say rudely. "Just that I think you might listen to me, since I am a military man, and know a thing or two about war." "Go on." "Elwynn outnumbers us, easily three to one. The Order is an elite force, save for the Ducal Militia of course, but against such odds we will soon find ourselves overwhelmed. Besides, should we be waging war against a fellow Duchy? Goldshire has a name to defend, and some of us had hoped that in these days of the Codex we could surpass our warlike past."
Nider's brow knitted in consternation, "What is the matter? I saw injustice, I saw the laws bent by those with ulterior motives. Ynnraile belongs to Goldshire, and Goldshire deserves to live. Is this not true?" "Of course, but we had hoped that the Kaiser-" "The Kaiser has left the matter to the discretion of Elwynn and Goldshire! Elwynn is rapacious, home to those notorious for such under-handed tactics. You think the Kaiser can rely on the advice of his councillors, when my former countrymen have poisoned every ear? No, Jaal, there is but one way to make it clear that Goldshire belongs to the living. That is to live!"
"Save disease, war is the greatest cause of death, my liege." Nider's face turned red at this, and he turned his back on Jaal, looking over the frozen Great Lake. "Aritoko, before my return, the Order of Vajra was dissolved. Had you hoped to return to Parvatvana? To your wife and children? Do you curse me now, a stranger from Kai-Raikoth who is a traitor to his kin?" Avi shook his head, "You are Steward, rightfully by the Duke's decree." "Yet there must be those who curse me, name me a warmonger. They should, I am." Nider turned back, and his eyes blazed, "I wish only to return the glory that I saw in the Codex. Snuffed out after such a little span of time. My own country is poisoned for me now. Our Duke sits drunk in his palace, the great race of the Ohl'tar has abandoned us. Who really controls everything? Between the Khan and Allot's daughter, the land of the Fair Child is divided between brutality and treachery. I had to answer them, else I too would be complicit. Do you see?"
Now it was Aritoko's turn to look out to the Great Lake, anything to look on that desperate face. He could not provide this man with the redemption he looked for, and neither would bloodshed. A shiver ran through him, though his military training refused to let him show it. To think of the deaths that could follow. Young men and women scattered across a field of battle while the crows contended with the pall-carriers. He had seen it before. Too many times. And yet.
Jaal Avi Aritoko saluted the Steward, "I see, sir. I will inform the Lord." As Nider flashed a wolfish grin, Aritoko's heart broke. What ruination would this Raikothlin bring upon them? "Yes, inform the Lord of my purpose." "And what purpose is that?" "I go to muster more troops." "But the Order is already mustering, my lord. They will be assembled at Aurambre by tomorrow evening at the latest." Nider smiled at that, "Ah yes, my dear Jaal. But as you said, the Elwynnbrigaden outnumber us three to one. I go to find other troops." "There are no other troops, my lord." "Of course there are. In Demonsfall." Aritoko's brows rose. The Forbidden City? Truely this man was mad, "It is forbidden for you to go there, my lord. The Duke-" Nider shot up a hand, cutting the Jaal off mid-sentence. "You forget yourself, Aritoko. I am not of noble blood, I am merely Steward. I will go to Demonsfall and speak to the people there. They will fight for me, and Elwynn shall know the meaning of fear at last."
With that Nider turned once again, and began to walk out across the sheet of ice atop the Great Lake. Aritoko watched him go, and then he too left, heading for the Exterior Palace and Ausambre. The Lord of the Order must be informed. Perhaps she could make their maniac Steward see sense.
"If you don't leave me be you and all your precious paperwork will go into this lake. With lead weights for companionship."
The palace mandarins quailed at that, and the more cowardly elements of the ensemble meekly proceeded back to their heated offices. The lake behind the man steamed as the weak sunshine melted the top layer of ice, and every so often one of the enormous trees around its shore shed another load of snow, which hit the ice with a splatting sound.
Of those who were brave enough to stay, only one was dressed similarly to their quarry. This man, whose insignia marked him as a Jaal of the Parvatvana Brigade, stepped to the fore. The Jaal's name was Avi Aritoko, and he regarded the belligerent fellow. Steward barely a day and he was already terrifying the bureaucrats. Usually it took about a week. But then again, Wil Nider had become Duke...no, Steward, in somewhat different circumstances.
"Steward," the Jaal began, his pleasant baritone disturbing the Hyperborean's reverie. The Steward looked up, and met his military liaison's eyes. "What do you want, Jaal Aritoko?" Nider asked matter-of-factly, not to say rudely. "Just that I think you might listen to me, since I am a military man, and know a thing or two about war." "Go on." "Elwynn outnumbers us, easily three to one. The Order is an elite force, save for the Ducal Militia of course, but against such odds we will soon find ourselves overwhelmed. Besides, should we be waging war against a fellow Duchy? Goldshire has a name to defend, and some of us had hoped that in these days of the Codex we could surpass our warlike past."
Nider's brow knitted in consternation, "What is the matter? I saw injustice, I saw the laws bent by those with ulterior motives. Ynnraile belongs to Goldshire, and Goldshire deserves to live. Is this not true?" "Of course, but we had hoped that the Kaiser-" "The Kaiser has left the matter to the discretion of Elwynn and Goldshire! Elwynn is rapacious, home to those notorious for such under-handed tactics. You think the Kaiser can rely on the advice of his councillors, when my former countrymen have poisoned every ear? No, Jaal, there is but one way to make it clear that Goldshire belongs to the living. That is to live!"
"Save disease, war is the greatest cause of death, my liege." Nider's face turned red at this, and he turned his back on Jaal, looking over the frozen Great Lake. "Aritoko, before my return, the Order of Vajra was dissolved. Had you hoped to return to Parvatvana? To your wife and children? Do you curse me now, a stranger from Kai-Raikoth who is a traitor to his kin?" Avi shook his head, "You are Steward, rightfully by the Duke's decree." "Yet there must be those who curse me, name me a warmonger. They should, I am." Nider turned back, and his eyes blazed, "I wish only to return the glory that I saw in the Codex. Snuffed out after such a little span of time. My own country is poisoned for me now. Our Duke sits drunk in his palace, the great race of the Ohl'tar has abandoned us. Who really controls everything? Between the Khan and Allot's daughter, the land of the Fair Child is divided between brutality and treachery. I had to answer them, else I too would be complicit. Do you see?"
Now it was Aritoko's turn to look out to the Great Lake, anything to look on that desperate face. He could not provide this man with the redemption he looked for, and neither would bloodshed. A shiver ran through him, though his military training refused to let him show it. To think of the deaths that could follow. Young men and women scattered across a field of battle while the crows contended with the pall-carriers. He had seen it before. Too many times. And yet.
Jaal Avi Aritoko saluted the Steward, "I see, sir. I will inform the Lord." As Nider flashed a wolfish grin, Aritoko's heart broke. What ruination would this Raikothlin bring upon them? "Yes, inform the Lord of my purpose." "And what purpose is that?" "I go to muster more troops." "But the Order is already mustering, my lord. They will be assembled at Aurambre by tomorrow evening at the latest." Nider smiled at that, "Ah yes, my dear Jaal. But as you said, the Elwynnbrigaden outnumber us three to one. I go to find other troops." "There are no other troops, my lord." "Of course there are. In Demonsfall." Aritoko's brows rose. The Forbidden City? Truely this man was mad, "It is forbidden for you to go there, my lord. The Duke-" Nider shot up a hand, cutting the Jaal off mid-sentence. "You forget yourself, Aritoko. I am not of noble blood, I am merely Steward. I will go to Demonsfall and speak to the people there. They will fight for me, and Elwynn shall know the meaning of fear at last."
With that Nider turned once again, and began to walk out across the sheet of ice atop the Great Lake. Aritoko watched him go, and then he too left, heading for the Exterior Palace and Ausambre. The Lord of the Order must be informed. Perhaps she could make their maniac Steward see sense.