~ Dire Struggle for Dillend: [Archive] [Home] [Previous Turn] [Next Turn] ~

"What will it be?" Emma silently thinks, "What will it be about what? Was there some sort of deal being struck between Caerloon and the province of Seden? What had the Baron General asked for? More troops? A surprise attack?"

"Well? You are here two days early. It must be important!" The General bellows, shouting at Emma's face: "WHAT IS MY ANSWER?!?!"

Emma visibly flinches as the man shouts at her, and looks back toward the younger Robert. Her eyes seem apologetic, though he probably couldn't understand why. If he understood who she truly was, then he would have known that she was preparing to lie. Even so, she wished she didn't have to...at least, not in front of him...but, for the people of Rinder, she knew it was necessary.

She turns back to the General and finally finds her voice as she performs another curtsy. "Y-your Grace," she says a bit shakily, "I-I-I'm s-sorry to say that my father is un-unsure and unable to answer you at this time. Y-your question was unclear. He h-has sent me to you so that we might f-fully understand your request. I am to l-learn more of what you have promised, and gauge the str-strength of your determination. He bade me to assure Your Grace of his interest and loyalty...and even admiration for all that you have accomplished so f-far. As y-you might know, the political situation in Rinder has become...complex. The King makes demands of Seden...and m-my father is doing his best to further our mutual interests while allaying the King's s-s-suspicions."

She bows her head and looks up at the Baron General through lowered lashes. Out of the corner of her eye, she also notes the younger Robert's reaction to her story. Would she be struck down for her evasive answer?

"Dire...Crayne...now would be a good time to start looking!" she mentally urges, "And just what have we gotten ourselves into...?"

Hannibal flinches at the aggressiveness of the warrior that bores his eyes into Emma. Even with the others here, Hannibal knows that Emma would not stand much of a chance in escaping should the Baron smell through the masquerade.

Realizing that, should a close in fight break out, Hannibal would be more a liability than an asset, he bagins to search the room for options...just in case. Noticing the opening on the other end of the tent, he sees his opportunity. Exiting low the way in which he came, Hannibal heads around the tent to the other side and the opposite entrance. He stays close to the walls of the tent and waits to see what happens with Emma's confrontation.

While he waits, he finds some rope coiled up nearby on the ground. Smiling to himself, he grabs the rope and ties it around the supports on that side of the tent. If worse came to worst, he could always yank the tent down.

Crayne stands there listening to Emma speaking with the arrogant Robert III. Crayne is astonished by the front of the woman and knows that should the General catch on to Emma's lie then all would be over. Quickly, Crayne scans the contents of the tent. He looks over the table to see whether there are any draws. Any chests within the room or anything on the table that may be of interest.

He can see that the map table is just that--a wooden table covered in maps and little painted wooden pieces representing armies or divisions of armies. The Baron General has a fairly ornate chair at the back of the room, a throne almost, which appears to be of heavy wood. But in the corner of the room, where the man is flipping through some papers, is a little table. This table actually contains a chest of drawers, three in fact. They are all closed, and the man is looking into papers resting atop the table.

Crayne also looks at the men who are currently within the tent to see whether any of them provide any indications of a possible magic user. He sees the Baron General is wear three or four ornate rings, some looking like solid gold, others with gemstones. Each of the men around the map table -- the Baron General's advisors, presumably -- wears some sort of ring, one each. They are all different, but all indicate some sort of wealth. As Crayne moves about the room he sees the man flipping through papers at the back also wears two rings, but Crayne does not recognize either of these as signifying the Red Dragon School or any other school he knows of.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Crayne moves slowly and carefully around the tent making sure that he is as silent and as careful as possible. Finally he crouches down under the table. "Nobody is going to bump into me under here!" he thinks to himself.

Robert Wade III, the Baron General, stares long and hard at Emma, playing the part of the Lady Hannah of Seden. There is a tense silence in the room as all eyes turn on Emma. Then, as if cued to break the silence, the front flap of the tent is thrown open and a young boy enters carrying a tray of chicken legs and a bottle of wine. The boy sees the scene and immediately stops, but the movement catches the Baron General's attention.

He turns his eyes to see the boy and brushes past Emma, who lets out a long exhale as he goes by. He grabs the tray and bottle and pushes the boy backwards, clear out of the tent, with one shove of the finger. The boys stumbles backwards, rolling out of the tent as Robert (III) plops the tray on the map table and grabs a leg of meat.

"You say your father was unsure?" he asks Emma, his back to her, chewing all the while.

"Y-yes, sir," Emma replies weakly.

"And he says that my question was unclear? MY QUESTION?!?!?" He screams, seeming to shake the whole tent. "Who is he to criticize MY question?!?! Does he realize who I am?! I am the Baron General Robert Wade the Third! Does he realize that he is dealing with the man who will someday win this little war? The man that will make him richer than he dreams and offer him more land than he can find peasants to work it?! The man who holds the fate of Caerloon in the palm of his hand...and the fate of Rinder!? For Rinder, nothing! I control the entire realm, my Lady Hannah of the House of Seden."

His voice grows quiet now as he turns around to face Emma, fire and determination in his eyes. "What we say and do here will determine the fate of the two major kingdoms of our age. Do you realize that? Has your father impressed upon you the magnitude of what I am offering him? There are other Houses, other Dukes and Barons, other Lords, who would gladly risk all they own, all their riches, for a chance at what I can offer your father. And he dares insult me. He dares delay my answer. He dares send you..."

"But father!" the younger Robert interrupts. "You cannot yell at the girl like this! She surely does not know. Her father certainly has not shared with her the details..." Robert can see that his father sees his point.

The Baron General lets out a loud exhale. "Very well, Lady Hannah of the House of Seden. You go to your father and you tell him what I tell you now. You remember well. Remember what I tell you. You are capable of that yes?" He asks condescendingly.

Emma narrows her eyes slightly, taking the insult in stride. She had to remember that this was merely a role she played. "Yes, my Lord. I will do as you ask."

"Good. You tell your father that this is the last offer I will make to him. If he does not understand this time, I will not spare him and his lands from the bloodbath I will bring to the Kingdom of Rinder. I will roll over him like a boulder crushes the grass beneath it."

Emma swallows hard, listening to the warrior before her. This did not sound like an offer, a business deal. This began to sound more like blackmail!

"My troops and I," continues the Baron General, "will control Mitchend in a matter of days. From Mitchend and our location at Dillend, we will begin to expand our influence. Lowfield will fall, and the forts to the west. At the same time, we will begin marching on Jilten and the other Southern Cities. We will take Merriam by the time the winter lifts and once Merriam falls..." he leans his head back, smiling, "the rest of Rinder will fall like a deck of cards on the gambling table.

"I am willing to grant your father, the Duke of Seden, a large portion of the new, Greater Caerloon. But he must prove his loyalty to...to the King of Caerloon," he clears his throat, as if uncomfortable saying the words, "the King...by gathering his men and disposing of the council of the Knights of Rinder at their meeting during the winter in the city of Seden. I want all of the Council Knights killed. All of them. Only when all of the Council Knight are dead will I consider his end of the bargain complete. Do you understand the proposal?"

Emma is shocked by the sheer magnitude of what she hears. This man, though obviously a bit insane, grandios, and egocentric, really did hold the fate of Rinder in his hands. He must be stopped!

"Y-yes, my Lord, I understand your offer, and will convey it to my father in its entirety as soon as possible," Emma responds respectfully.

"Very good," he says, "then you will leave in the morning back for Seden. And I will meet you in Jilten in one month's time, awaiting your answer. Now," his tone changes as he looks to his advisors, "I expect Mitchend. I will be in my private quarters." He turns and walks out of the tent, tossing the flaps aside as he breezes past.

A collective sigh of relief is felt by everyone in the tent as he leaves. The younger Robert takes Emma's hand, saying. "My dear Lady Hannah, I must apologize for my father. He is truly a strong, wise man. And his vision of a Greater Caerloon will benefit us all. That is the truth. He just...what he's got in strength he sometimes loses out for with tact, I'm afraid."

"You'd best be careful what you say, Master Robert," the man at the back table says, looking slyly over his shoulder. "Some fathers are not as loving as he, and would quickly punish their sons if they heard such words."

"Oh, Artide," Robert moans, "must you always be watching my back?"

"Someone must, or you will find the hilt of someone's knife standing there." Robert is obviously embarrassed by Artide, and his face blushes to show it. Artide turns his full body around. His dark red tunic and pants, fitted tightly on his skinny frame, seem accented by his jet black, shoulder length hair and thin mustache. He has an educated look about him. "Now, my dear, dear, Lady Hannah of the House of Seden. Do forgive me for asking, for I don't mean to be rude, but allow me just one question, would you my dear?"

"Yes, sir," Emma replies cautiously, not knowing exactly what to expect but not wanting to be rude.

"I can understand your...warrior-ish style of dress, not wanting to attract attention along the border. And I am most impressed with the speed of your long journey. But do tell me, why didn't your father send your older brother?"

MEANWHILE.....

Waiting patiently outside the camp, Canter, Edryd, and Cy pass the time. They watched the sun sink below the horizon as their friends invisibly made their way into the heart of the beast. But by now many hours have passed and there has still been no word from them.

"I am worried," Canter says to the others, biting his nails and fidgeting with the leather strip he has been bending for the past hour and a half.

"Just sit tight. They will return, I know it." Edryd says, calming his friend. "Anhur teaches patience..."

"But if only we knew," Cy says, but his voice trails off. "Shh! Someone's coming!" He hoarsely whispers.

Six figures, their bodies faintly visible in the dusk light, are seen nearby. They can see one of the figures point a sword in their direction. They are about ten yards off.

"I thought I heard something," one of the figures says to the others.

"Better check it out," another responds.

Canter, Edryd, and Cy, stand with the party's horses among a small collection of trees (perhaps five or six trees in within a fifteen-yard diameter circle). Aside from those trees, the nearest cover is a couple hundred yards off, some other trees on the other side of the road, closer to the camp. The figures, one of whom at least is armed with a sword are approaching, about ten yards off. Cy can just barely make out an emblem on one of their tunics...and it's identical to the flags carried by the Caerloon army they passed on the border.

"A patrol..." Cy grinds his teeth in frustration. His eyes meet Edryd's as they both search for ideas of what to do next.

1. Obviously, Storm, Crayne, Hannibal, and Emma, please respond with actions based on the events in the tent. Hannibal, you may assume that you heard the entire conversation through the tent wall and saw the shadows thrown by the lanterns on the wall before you. Crayne sits under the map table. Emma stands with Robert (IV) before Artide. Storm and Dire stand along the inside of the tent. However, please bear in mind that since you are all invisible (except Emma), you cannot see where each other are!

2. Edryd and Cy please respond with actions based on the approaching patrol party. Will you evade them? What about the horses and gear left behind with you by the others? Or will you make yourselves known to the patrol party? What will you say?

The thin, slick-looking Artide stands before Emma, peering strongly at her. "I can understand your...warrior-ish style of dress, not wanting to attract attention along the border. And I am most impressed with the speed of your long journey. But do tell me, why didn't your father send your older brother?"

Emma's eyes narrow just slightly as she wonders if Artide had caught onto her charade and was trying to make her slip up. Did the Lady Hannah actually have a brother? Anhur forbid that she admit to having one when she didn't!

She looks back toward Robert to see if he was confused by the possible trick-question. Maybe his eyes could give her a clue as to what she should say? Or perhaps Dire...or Crayne...or someone, for crying out loud!...could coach her in a timely response?

The look on Robert the younger's face offers no assistance however. He merely turns slightly to look at her as well, waiting for a response. An awkward silence pervades the room. A droplet of sweat inches down Emma's cheek as she desperately awaits some sort of help. Finally, the help arrives.

All of sudden, Emma feels herself nodding. Hands are clutching the sides of her head and forcing it up and down. And she can feel fingers on her face, forcing a slight smile to appear on her lips. "He is hunting," a voice whispers ever so quietly in her ear.

Then she no longer needs assistance; she smiles all by herself. 'Anhur bless that Dire Luthor!' she thinks to herself. "My older brother is on an extended hunting trip, sir," Emma says confidently. "It is the season in Seden, you know," she elaborates.

Ever so slowly, Artide begins to nod. He continues to look straight at her, his eyes boring into her. Robert sees this and places a hand on the man's shoulder. "Artide, haven't you better things to do than to interrogate the Lady? She is surely tired from her journey and will want to rest before leaving with the morn."

As if waking up from a dream, Artide shakes his head and brushes out his mustache. "Yes. Yes of course. Very well then. Good night." He waves to the men around the map table and gives Emma one last glance. "May your journey be a prosperous one, my Lady," he offers before tossing a tent flap aside and stepping out into the night.

Emma, indeed, everyone in the room, breathes a sigh of relief.

Storm stays rather still during the whole conversation, trying to minimize his chances of bumping into another invisible friend and making noise. When Artide leaves, he looks around briefly and eyes the maps on the table. He realizes these might come in handy and decides to take some action. He slowly (very slowly) creeps around the outside of the standing area inside the tent, making his way to behind the table with the maps on it. He then creeps up to stand reasonably close to one of the men looking at the maps on the table. Storm waits for an opportunity, a very definite one, to try to make it look like the man he's behind accidentally knocks stuff onto the floor.

As Artide leaves the tent such an opportunity presents itself. As one of the men sneezes and coughs, he brushes some of the papers onto the floor. The three men around the table all rise, frustrated at the apparent foolishness before them. The man who sneezed shrugs his shoulders and slowly bends down to pick up the fallen items. But not soon enough, for Storm has already snatched one of the papers and stuffed it in his shirt.

Though not a genius, the dwarven thief is smart enough not to take all of the papers from the floor. So the man picks up the remaining papers, not noticing he is one short, and returns them to the table with a yawn.

Satisfied with his snatch, Storm eyes the many rings worn by the men in the room. He recalls Hannibal's pick-pocketing episode back in Jilten and smiles. He thinks to try the same thing here, but he stops himself, realizing that this is way to risky a situation to get caught.

Crayne sits there under the table listening to the conversations and scenes played out before him. He also thinks of what an opportunity he had of ending the General's life. A dagger in his chest would end it. However, the uncertainty of whether it would effect Caerloon's current war effort is what caused Crayne to hesitate. If Robert III was to die it would be a set back for certain, but how big a set back? Crayne wondered.

'I'm sure that he would be replaced, for it seems that it is the Red Dragon school who seem to be pulling the strings not the General,' the mage thinks to himself. Before he could do anything, anyway, the General had left the tent. Crayne seems content at the moment to remain under the table and wait for something to happen or for the people within the tent to leave. Feeling worried and a little helpless about Emma's situation he wonders whether she should have been cast invisible in the first place. It seems very much like it to Crayne that the son is trying to catch Emma out.

Robert IV steps closer to Emma and places his two hands on her upper arms, rubbing downwards slowly and softly. "My dear, Lady Hannah, you must be so tired from your journey. I'm sure you are eager to find a soft pillow for your beautiful head..."

Emma simply smiles back at Robert. She is too relieved right now, having (apparently) fooled both the Baron General and the Artide character, to think about much else. But the touch of Robert, a man's touch, is something she hadn't felt in a while. It startles her at first, but is soon soothing. But Emma is not about to give herself away. "And I'm sure you know of just the pillow, I presume?" she answers Robert, taking a tentative step closer to him with a bit of a smile at her lips.

How far was she willing to let this go? It seemed as if her actions were almost automatic. Did she really want this, or was she just playing the ruse?

Before Robert can answer, the men at the map table rise from their benches. "Goodnight Robert," one says with a wink. "I'll see you at sunrise..." "Have a good night," another jests. The third one simply sneezes as he leaves the tent. Dire Luthor stifles a chuckle.

Finally, at last, the tent is nearly empty. Now it is just Crayne, Storm, Dire, Hannibal (just outside the tent), Emma and Robert. 'Just get him out of here...' Dire thinks to himself as he watches the conversation, slowly moving himself around the room toward the chest of drawers on the far side.

Robert just smiles, looking down at Emma with a pleasant look on his face. "Yes, my Lady, you may presume just that..." he says softly, running a finger along her cheek.

MEANWHILE....

Canter, Cy, and Edryd kneel in the darkness, barely making out the approaching figures of the six-member patrol party. "Two apiece," Canter whispers, attempting a joke, "we've had worse."

"Still," Cy says, ever the strategist, "the cover of darkness and surprise may be our best option."

"I'll wait here," Edryd says, "and make sure they notice me. You two go 'round the side..."

"...and flank 'em." Cy finishes the thought. He smiles at Edryd, who returns the recognition. "What will you do?" he asks the Paladin.

"I'll think of something," Edryd responds.

"Come on..." Canter says, pulling on Cy's arm. The two soon disappear into the darkness, moving around the patrol party.

A few moments later, the familiar "neigh" of a horse can be heard through the night. "What was that?" one of the patrol men ask, "let's check it out," another answers. In a moment they are upon Edryd.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" the patrol leader questions.

"Just a stable boy, sir," Edryd pleads, trying to make himself seem a little shorter in the darkness, and to push his voice up a little higher. "Returnin' with the horses..."

The leader looks over the horses, his eyes returning to Edryd. "Stable boy, eh?" he says, an eyebrow raised. He raises a hand and motions in a circle with a finger. Soon the other members of the patrol party move in on the horses, and the leader steps closer to Edryd, his blade drawn.

"What's all this?" one of the other men asks loudly. He is standing over couple of saddlebags, and is holding up a long dress.

"That's a lot of gear for one stable boy," the leaders says condescendingly, "and I hope that's not yours," he points with his sword at the dress. He then takes a closer look at Edryd, noticing the Paladin's sword. "That's a nice sword, and a good suit of chain armor, for a lowly stable boy...It seems you have a little explaining to do..."

Edryd takes a big gulp. 'I don't know if my charisma will get me out of this one!' he thinks to himself worriedly.

1. The map which Storm stole can be found on this web site. It is called "Baron General Wade's Battle-Map" and a link appears in the "Maps" section on the site's home page. You can also go there directly with this link:

2. Emma: How will you respond to Robert's advances?!? Crayne and Hannibal (as well as Dire): with the room almost empty, will you want to look at anything in particular?

3. Cy and Edryd: What will you do about this patrol party?

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