Matthew and Marco
Ser Matthew and his Bellumi delegation approach the city gates of Orlea. Matthew is on edge because he doesn’t trust the Broussard’s. Not after everything that Marco has put them through over the past year. Even with the seal of the king and the waving of a flag of truce, Matthew has learned to not trust this family.
Suddenly an alarm from the tail of the convoy. Matthew turns to look back to find that a military force of a few thousand has come up from behind them. But then there is an alarm to the left flank, then the right flank almost in unison. They are surrounded on three sides by an army of at least ten thousand.
The army aggressively pushes Matthew’s accompaniment toward the city walls. Matthew orders a tactical retreat toward the city gate, but it is just as the first Bellumi soldiers reach the city walls that the trap is set.
The steel portcullis gate is dropped. Attached to the gate is a black hooded figure with a golden owl mask. He is clearly dead. Ser Matthew and his small force are trapped by a much larger army. Backs to a city gate that will not open. Matthew draws his sword to make his final stand.
“That’s not a smart move, but you aren’t a smart man.” Says a voice coming from the mass of horses, and men surrounding them. A man steps out into the open. It’s Marco.
“The new King’s drinking buddy. A huge gift at my doorstep! Perhaps sending him your head in a box would get his attention… Sheathe your sword!”
Matthew looks toward the Bellumi, through their training they know that delegation is the only hope for survival. Matthew returns his sword to its sheathe.
“I want you to know that I am not going to kill you… if certain concessions are made. First, I demand that ten Bellumi die right now.”
“No!” Matthew screams.
But the Bellumi Captain points to ten men without hesitation, and they all draw their daggers and plunge them into their own hearts. Ten Bellumi soldiers fall dead. No hesitation, no last words, no pleading.
“You see Matt, you think you are safe with these Bellums… But their code is so idiotic that in a pinch, they are prepared to die without question. You don’t have loyal men; you have obedient mindless pawns. Men who surrender to a greater power. Just warm bodies and nothing more.”
“There was no sense in that…”
“Shut up! I am in a forgiving mood. It must be all the blood I’ve shed. The rest of you can live… for now. You will be my messenger to that false king and queen of yours. Tell them that I will snuff out the remaining members of the royal family. Spilling their blood is addicting!” Marco says will a maniacal laugh.
Matthew turns to the body hanging from the gate.
“Yes, John Henry failed me. Killing him was the greatest moment of my life. Well… until I kill that dolphin rider in front of his wife! Then she will be the first member of my new harem! It is going to be amazing!”
“You’re crazy!” Matthew utters in disbelief.
“Stupid commoner, you don’t know when to keep your mouth shut. I am altering our deal. Ten more Bellumi’s must die. The Captain points to ten more, all die following orders.
“Stop dammit!”
“Ten more! These ten are on your hands Matt.”
“Ten more Bellumi fall to meet Marco’s terms.
“Next I want you to kneel before me. Kneel now or I will order twenty more!”
Indignantly Matthew kneels before Marco to save Bellumi lives.
“I got to be honest with you Matt, this is just for my amusement. As far as your king’s demands go. I surrender the city to you now. I have no use for it. It’s dead…”
Suddenly screams can be heard from inside the gates. Marco had some of his men set fire to the city. In moments every corner of Orlea is burning. Citizens screams are blood curdling, which brings a large smile to Marco’s face.
“I have about a hundred of my best archers on top of the wall. If anyone tries to escape the city, they are dead. You will stand right here until the third morning, then you can recover the prince’s body and deliver my message to your king. But if anyone steps out of these shadows before then my archers will kill you where you stand!” Marco says victoriously.
Matthew begins to stand.
“No! Stay knelt until we are out of sight.” Marco says as he turns to leave with his army.
Zee and Kat
On Perga Lyne, the main island of the Peel Islands, Katina has just healed Zyno’s injured wing with her dark magic. Zyno now has matching black wings.
“We can’t stay here long; this is the first place they will look?” Zyno says as he embraces his witch lover.
“Mother is still here; she will know what to do.” Katina responds.
Katina calls out for her mother, but she doesn’t get an answer. They wait around for a few minutes before they begin to search the island for her. It doesn’t take long for them to find the decaying body of the witch’s mother.
“What happened to her?” Katina asks.
“She was murdered.”
“By who?”
“It had to be Nunley, when he was searching for us.”
“At least he is dead. I guess we can go to the mainland, my mother’s sister lives in plain sight on an old farm.”
“No, she doesn’t. I saw her die on that farm when I was running. Nunley killed her too. I didn’t realize it until just now. I guess I was in too much of a panic at the time to notice her family resemblance, but she looked extremely old.”
“That nasty man took so much from us, I wish I had known what he had taken from me when you threw him off the forge top.”
“He’s dead, he can’t hurt us anymore.” Zyno tells Katina trying to comfort her.
“He’s not dead!” someone says from behind.
“Betta!” Zyno says as he steps in front of Katina.
“Zee, I’m not here as your enemy. I come bringing news.”
“What is it?”
“After the fight, Ayepex conducted a search for Nunley’s body. He found the impact area but found two sets of footprints walking away from it.”
“How?”
“The same way you’re able to fly again. Magic.” Katina says as she steps out from behind Zyno.
“The sky went dark; some powerful magic was used last night.” Betta tells them.
In their haste to leave the forge, they did not notice the events of the night before. In fact, Katina was so focused on healing Zyno’s wing that she never even noticed the black sky.
“What do we do now?” Zyno asks.
“Ayepex said that you will be welcomed back to the Forge.”
“No, that is not our home.” Zyno responds.
“Neither is this place.” Betta answers.
“You’re both right, until Nunley is dead and in the ground, we have no home!” Katina says in anger.
The Kind Old Man
The old man has been west for a week since his night spent in the Bend. For the most part he has kept to himself. He’s only had a couple meaningful conversations since he met Kate. She has dwelled in his thoughts. He has even dreamed about her.
Today, the old man sits at a table at an inn in the small crossroads town of Doan. Just like he has done since he left Kate’s, he is trying to mind his own business.
“I tell you Pete, the new King isn’t even light skinned, he favors his mother. That woman from the Breaker islands. Blond hair… he has blond hair! He doesn’t look like a King at all.” A man says tells his friend from a couple tables over.
“Hell, I hear the Queen is a Meegan witch who charmed Prince Aero and used her magic to trick King William into stepping down.” the name named Pete says.
“You’re right! The witch Queen, is hideous but she casts spells on every man who looks at her!”
The old man can’t help himself. “Gentlemen forgive me, but I can’t help but overhear your discussion. I’ve seen the King and Queen. You’re both wrong, the King is the son of William, his skin is just darker than the other Royals. It looks like he has stood out in the suns for days, but he is a royal. As far as the Queen goes, she is Meegan brown and very beautiful but she’s no witch. They work as a team unlike the past King’s. Hell, King Aero doesn’t even have a harem because the Queen is enough woman for anyone.”
“Maybe you’re right old man, but no one is going to allow a brown Queen to rule them. It’s one thing for a King to take a woman as his glorified whore, like King William but to say that some Sand Charmer has equal say in ruling the Kingdom is different.” One of them responds.
“Then what happens with the next King? He’s going to be dark brown too.” The other one adds.
“Then he will marry a Bellumi or go out west and mix with one of them yella women. They will be ruling us soon.”
“Men, I respectfully disagree. They will bring a new restoration to the Kingdom. Just give them a chance.” The old man responds.
Both men laugh.
“It’s not going to happen. You see old man, there is an army forming southwest from here near Horntown. The pay is good, and its sole purpose is overthrowing the Crown. I’ve heard that they already have fifty thousand men. We are on our way to join them. The King and Queen will be dead before winter!”
Relics of the Old Age 