Post by Horas on Nov 22, 2008 16:48:53 GMT -5
They said their vows before the heart tree, Ondrew and Nara kneeling side by side. Their only audience was a blind beggar they’d run into on the road, and the flock of six ewes they’d acquired from Turek’s cousin. The bleating interrupted their speaking of the vows several times, as one or the other succumbed to first smiles, than laughter. The deed accomplished, they rose, and kissed for a moment, before Ondrew gave the blind beggar a copper, and Nara clicked her tongue and the sheep began the journey back to Turek’s house, with the two newly weds walking behind.
They didn’t speak, as they walked, for they did not seem to have much to say. Although they’d known each other only a short time, Ondrew felt as though he’d known the girl all his life. The silence was comfortable. And Nara was staring off into the distance. Well, she’d not be the first woman troubled by thoughts of her wedding night, Ondrew had heard, so he thought it not odd.
As they reached the hill towards where Turek and his wife Cydia stayed, Ondrew could smell smoke, and saw a black cloud arising in the distance. It gave him an ill feeling. He unslung his axe, as he started to run.
“Husband… don’t.” Nara said, too softly.
“I must,” He replied. Hurrying down the hill at a rapid Ondrew could see the house. He could see Turerk and Cydia kneeling in the dirt before a larger man. A ring of six other men stood round them, watching, fingering spears, and clubs.
He watched as Turek’s face disappeared in a fine pink mist when the large man brought the maul he was holding down on the Knott’s head. Cydia’s scream was piercing until the man brought the maul down again. The squishing sound churned Ondrew’s stomach. The men began to move into the house, and to the pen where the sheep and goats were kept. Ondrew saw the larger man, and two of his men standing and looking at the bodies. He approached.
“Why have you killed these two?” He cried out when the men turned to see him.
“They were hiding the one we sought and wouldn’t turn him over.” The man on the left, wearing a leather arming cap and hold a mace said.
“Here I am.” Ondrew said sternly, he turned the haft of his axe in his hand.
“You Burleys are trouble that’s for sure.” Said the large man. “We’ll be lucky to be done with you.”
”You think we won’t go to war for this?” Ondrew asked, “My grandpa will have you roasted on a spit. And the Knotts will want vengeance too, for disrupting their moot. No violence during Trade Moot, that’s the law.
“Bugger your war. And bugger your law, and bugger you.” The man grunted.
“Bugger me!” Ondrew yelled, “I’m Ondrew, son of Hamish who is son of Herdon, who was son of Rygar, whose father was Jarrad, called The Ball and Chain. And I would know your name, before I kill you Liddle.” Ondrew said, invoking his paternity in the ritual form. If the man accepted, his men would not intervene before one of them was dead.
“I am Silgar, son of Duran called the Grey Dog, his father was Mulken son of Golan, and I will kill you Burley. You men stand aside while I slay this wretch.”
Ondrew didn’t say anything; he simply twisted the haft of his axe in his hand, and scanned the man up and down. He was covered in furs, that were thick, but they were no armor. The maul was heavy and would be tiring to wield, but this Silgar was strong too, and a single blow would end his life, Ondrew was sure. He decided he would bide his time.
“You are a coward like all Burleys,” Silgar yelled, as he heaved the Maul through the air. It made a “Whushing” sound as Ondrew ducked it. Silgar snarled as Ondrew feinted with his axe, cutting his swing short, as he hopped to large man’s left, and weaved out of the way of another blow. And another. He kept turning, and ducking, staying a step ahead of the Liddle and his heavy maul.
By the Gods, what a beast this man is, Ondrew thought to himself, as He narrowly avoided having his head dashed in by the heavy blunt weapon. He managed to barely step away, and landed a light slash across the man’s shin. He howled like an auroch and raised the Maul high above his head for a crushing blow.
Ah… I have you! Ondrew though, as he brought his axe across the man’s belly. It split leather and fabric, and the man gave a cry as he saw the grey ropes of his intestines on the ground before him. He staggered, dropped the maul, and fell to the ground.
“Go back to The Liddle, and tell him Ondrew Burley slew the man he sent to murder innocent men and women.” The men nodded, picked up their man and headed off.
Ondrew sat down on the ground. His wounds had reopened, and he was bleeding again. He saw Nara coming, leading the sheep by herself.
“Hello husband.” She said softly.
“Did you see this?” He asked her, as his axe clattered to the ground. His hands holding his head.
“Of course.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it could not be avoided.” She said, “It would happen whether I said something or no. You deserved a moment to enjoy your wedding day.”
“What if we had not wed? We’d have been home sooner, I could have been here.”
“Than you would be dead, husband, instead of them.” She gave him a hug, and pulled him to his feet.
“I was much a daughter to them as any. What is there is yours now.” She said. Ondrew nodded sadly.
Results:
Ondrew Burly improves to Master of the Axe
Nara improves to Expert Greensight.
They didn’t speak, as they walked, for they did not seem to have much to say. Although they’d known each other only a short time, Ondrew felt as though he’d known the girl all his life. The silence was comfortable. And Nara was staring off into the distance. Well, she’d not be the first woman troubled by thoughts of her wedding night, Ondrew had heard, so he thought it not odd.
As they reached the hill towards where Turek and his wife Cydia stayed, Ondrew could smell smoke, and saw a black cloud arising in the distance. It gave him an ill feeling. He unslung his axe, as he started to run.
“Husband… don’t.” Nara said, too softly.
“I must,” He replied. Hurrying down the hill at a rapid Ondrew could see the house. He could see Turerk and Cydia kneeling in the dirt before a larger man. A ring of six other men stood round them, watching, fingering spears, and clubs.
He watched as Turek’s face disappeared in a fine pink mist when the large man brought the maul he was holding down on the Knott’s head. Cydia’s scream was piercing until the man brought the maul down again. The squishing sound churned Ondrew’s stomach. The men began to move into the house, and to the pen where the sheep and goats were kept. Ondrew saw the larger man, and two of his men standing and looking at the bodies. He approached.
“Why have you killed these two?” He cried out when the men turned to see him.
“They were hiding the one we sought and wouldn’t turn him over.” The man on the left, wearing a leather arming cap and hold a mace said.
“Here I am.” Ondrew said sternly, he turned the haft of his axe in his hand.
“You Burleys are trouble that’s for sure.” Said the large man. “We’ll be lucky to be done with you.”
”You think we won’t go to war for this?” Ondrew asked, “My grandpa will have you roasted on a spit. And the Knotts will want vengeance too, for disrupting their moot. No violence during Trade Moot, that’s the law.
“Bugger your war. And bugger your law, and bugger you.” The man grunted.
“Bugger me!” Ondrew yelled, “I’m Ondrew, son of Hamish who is son of Herdon, who was son of Rygar, whose father was Jarrad, called The Ball and Chain. And I would know your name, before I kill you Liddle.” Ondrew said, invoking his paternity in the ritual form. If the man accepted, his men would not intervene before one of them was dead.
“I am Silgar, son of Duran called the Grey Dog, his father was Mulken son of Golan, and I will kill you Burley. You men stand aside while I slay this wretch.”
Ondrew didn’t say anything; he simply twisted the haft of his axe in his hand, and scanned the man up and down. He was covered in furs, that were thick, but they were no armor. The maul was heavy and would be tiring to wield, but this Silgar was strong too, and a single blow would end his life, Ondrew was sure. He decided he would bide his time.
“You are a coward like all Burleys,” Silgar yelled, as he heaved the Maul through the air. It made a “Whushing” sound as Ondrew ducked it. Silgar snarled as Ondrew feinted with his axe, cutting his swing short, as he hopped to large man’s left, and weaved out of the way of another blow. And another. He kept turning, and ducking, staying a step ahead of the Liddle and his heavy maul.
By the Gods, what a beast this man is, Ondrew thought to himself, as He narrowly avoided having his head dashed in by the heavy blunt weapon. He managed to barely step away, and landed a light slash across the man’s shin. He howled like an auroch and raised the Maul high above his head for a crushing blow.
Ah… I have you! Ondrew though, as he brought his axe across the man’s belly. It split leather and fabric, and the man gave a cry as he saw the grey ropes of his intestines on the ground before him. He staggered, dropped the maul, and fell to the ground.
“Go back to The Liddle, and tell him Ondrew Burley slew the man he sent to murder innocent men and women.” The men nodded, picked up their man and headed off.
Ondrew sat down on the ground. His wounds had reopened, and he was bleeding again. He saw Nara coming, leading the sheep by herself.
“Hello husband.” She said softly.
“Did you see this?” He asked her, as his axe clattered to the ground. His hands holding his head.
“Of course.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it could not be avoided.” She said, “It would happen whether I said something or no. You deserved a moment to enjoy your wedding day.”
“What if we had not wed? We’d have been home sooner, I could have been here.”
“Than you would be dead, husband, instead of them.” She gave him a hug, and pulled him to his feet.
“I was much a daughter to them as any. What is there is yours now.” She said. Ondrew nodded sadly.
Results:
Ondrew Burly improves to Master of the Axe
Nara improves to Expert Greensight.