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Post by Jordyn on Jan 29, 2019 20:47:56 GMT -5
Adds on to Emily's history. Open to all. 15 years before the Plague
Emily paused at the door to the office, the soft sounds of her footsteps coming to stop as well. She was interested in the strangers that had arrived in her home earlier that day and had tried to sneak out of her tutoring to find more answers. She had succeeded, only after her tutor had been called somewhere else, telling her to stay put.
Not like that was about to happen. Instead, she'd waited for the footsteps to recede down the hall, then snuck off the in opposite direction, heading for her father's office.
She knew the Castle like the back of her hand, and it wasn't long until the girl was standing, hiding in a shadow, watching the door to the office. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the person exit, slipping back into the shadow more and hoping that the older person hadn't seen her. She barely dared to breathe, eyes locked on the other person.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jan 29, 2019 22:16:31 GMT -5
(Meanwhile in Araluen Castle)
"I am telling you, Crowley, there is someone here, close to His Majesty, that is working against him. All the evidence points to it, if you know what to look for." Royal Scout Ian pointed to the stack of reports on Crowley's desk.
"If you know how to spin the reports, you mean," Crowley replied. "I deal in facts, not skewing the facts to fit a theory." Crowley crossed his arms and stared down the younger Royal Scout.
"Skew the facts?" Ian sputtered. "you use the facts to extrapolate a theory. What other conclusion could you possibly draw? Someone wants to take over the country."
"The reports say no such thing." Crowley argued. "Besides, His Majesty is well-liked. Who would want to bring him down?"
"Oh any number of people, and please stop talking about me like I am not here," King Duncan replied. Both men took a step back and looked chagrined. "The idea is far-fetched, true Crowley, but not without merit. There are any number of people that would like me gone so they can rule the Kingdom."
"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" Ian asked his liege Lord.
"Go to Gorlan fief and check things out. Follow the money. If there is a traitor, there will be money involved." Duncan had his back to the other two men. "Let's keep this theory under wraps. Only those who need to know, Gentlemen."
"Ai, Sire. I will go myself, right away." Ian saluted and swept out of Crowley's office, swinging his blue Royal Scout cape over his shoulders as he exited.
"Do you really thing someone is plotting against you?" Crowley asked his old friend. "There doesn't seem to be enough here in my opinion to jump to such a conclusion."
Duncan turned away from the window and nodded, "I do. I always do. The northern Barons have been grumbling lately. What I need to know is which one is the ringleader and how close is he to acting?" Duncan directed Crowley to investigate. "Tell your rangers not to tip our hand."
Crowley nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. We will find out what, if anything, is really going on," he promised. Duncan inclined his head towards his Ranger Commandant and strode regally out of the office.
Crowley sat down and began to carefully read the reports Master Ian had pointed out to him. It was going to be another long night...
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Post by Jordyn on Jan 29, 2019 22:58:00 GMT -5
Over the next few weeks, Morgarath had increasingly asked for his daughter to work with him. The annual Tournament was approaching, meaning more people would be coming to Gorlan. Which, sometimes, meant more kids for Emily to be around and play with.
But, something was different about this time. Her father seemed distracted as if he was trying to plan something. More and more often, he would pause his day to check on her, making sure she was actually with the tutor, and not sneaking out to cause mayhem. Emily was nervous about this behavior, but she kept her fears mostly to herself.
It wasn't until the week before the Tournament was set to start that something out of the ordinary happened. Morgarath sent the tutor away and had brought Emily to his office, setting her with a book of her own. She watched him carefully as he worked, wondering why he would have brought her to the office.
Maybe he's nervous about something, she thought. She shook her head. But why would he be nervous? He's never nervous.
She looked back at her book, aimlessly flipping pages when the man entered the office. There hadn't been a knock, and, when Emily looked up, she could see that it was one of her father's men. Moragarth glanced at her, then waved her out of the office, his look telling her that he'd send for her later.
As she left, she wondered what the man would have to tell her father. As far as she was aware, nothing bad had been happening in the fief...
She shook her head and made her way outside, hoping the fresh air would calm her racing nerves.
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Post by Brandwyn on Jan 30, 2019 22:38:08 GMT -5
Spencer waited until the child was gone before he pulled out a piece of parchment from the hidden pocket inside his tunic and handed it to Morgarath. “From Caraway.” Spencer said. “He is… supportive, with a bit persuasion.”
Morgarath nodded, broke the seal on the parchment and scanned the contents. “Did you talk to Marshwood?”
Spencer nodded. “Pushover. He will go along with the others.”
“Good. Here are your orders.” He handed Spencer a half page of parchment. “Burn that after you memorize it.” Spencer nodded. “Take some men with you. I need to know how soft the situation is. You know the drill.” Morgarath fixed him with his intense gaze.
Again Spencer nodded and scanned the parchment. He quickly committed the items to memory and then tossed it into Morgarath’s fireplace. They both watched it ignite. The logs shifted and one rolled down onto the parchment.
“I will report back as soon as possible.” Spencer saluted Morgarath, turned smartly and exited the office. He had a few personal things to take care of before he hit the road again. The first stop was a particular inn near the center of the town…
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Post by Jordyn on Jan 31, 2019 22:19:50 GMT -5
Emily ran into Spencer on her way back inside. "Where are you going?" she asked him, curiously. He ignored her, moving towards the stables. She watched him go, thinking quickly. Her curious mind wanted to know where the man was going, while her more cautious side told her to stay put, to go back to her father and not risk punishment.
She completely ignored the cautious side, following the man out of the walls. She was going to see where he was going. She was going to find out why he needed to talk to her father.
She just hoped she didn't get in trouble in the attempt to do such a thing.
It took hours, but the man finally stopped at a tavern. Emily, tired, but still stubbornly moving forward, paused by the stable as Spencer went inside. She waited three minutes before following him in.
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Post by Brandwyn on Feb 1, 2019 22:32:49 GMT -5
Spencer entered Abernathy’s Pub and Grill and nodded his head at the owner, Earnie Abernathy, who was wiping down the bar. Earnie smiled at Spencer and tilted his head towards a table to the left side of the door under the only window in the common room. Spencer smiled back and made his way through the moderate crowd to a group of men in a heated discussion at the indicated table. There were six of them and they were all young farmers and iron miners.
“Spencer! You’re back!” one of them spotted him and pulled a chair from the neighboring table over for him. “What news?”
Spencer slapped him on the back, a big grin on his face. “Hi Chock! How’s that girl of yours? What’s her name, Lucy?” He greeted his ‘friend’ and the other young men as he took off his cloak and gloves.
“Oh, she is just a silly girl,” Chock waived dismissively. “I met a real woman,” he elbowed the man next to him and they all laughed.
“Never mind all that,” the man across from Spencer hushed everyone. “Tell us what they said. I am tired of all the waiting.”
Spencer took a moment to order a bowl of stew and mug of ale and then motioned all of them closer. They all grew unusually quiet. “Things are moving along, it shouldn’t be long now. The lads in Caraway are with you and some in Marshwood too.” The men slapped each other on their backs excitedly. Spencer motioned them to be calm. “It’s not time yet, but soon. I need some of you to travel to Norgate. See who you can recruit. We need way more men.”
“Come on, Spencer, you have been stringing us along for months!” Gerald complained. “I can’t take any more of those Royals and Nobles telling me what to do and looking down their nose at me.” The other miners chimed in, “Yeah, they think we are scum.” “If not for us where would those soldier boys get their shiny armor and weapons from?” “We can’t wait forever!”
Spencer hushed them, “Look, Morgarath isn’t like them. He understands. He is asking for just a little more patience, and then you will all get what you want.” Spencer took out his coin pouch and passed each of them a gold coin. “He told me to give you these, for expenses or travel. Just do as he asks and in no time, you are all going to have more riches than you can imagine.”
The men grew excited again as they accepted the coins and they started talking about what they would do with their wealth once they acquired it. Spencer wolfed down his stew as he listened and nodded enthusiastically at each one in turn. When he finished eating, he downed his mug of ale and said, “Gerald, can you and Terrell go to Norgate this week?” They both nodded. “Good, good. Talk to the soldiers, they feel the same about the knights as you do about the nobles. We need some fighters. Anyone you can recruit though. Tell them someone will be sent when it is time.” The men nodded. “You others, do the same here. Now, I have to go.” Spencer tossed on his cloak. “You have your assignments. We meet back here in a week.”
Spencer gave them all a smile and a nod and then swept out of the Abernathy Pub. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a familiar young face. He paused on the threshold, and looked down, but saw nothing. He must have been mistaken. Then he stepped out of the pub and closed the door behind him…
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Post by Jordyn on Feb 1, 2019 22:46:05 GMT -5
Spencer gave them all a smile and a nod and then swept out of the Abernathy Pub. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a familiar young face. He paused on the threshold, and looked down, but saw nothing. He must have been mistaken. Then he stepped out of the pub and closed the door behind him…
Emily froze when he looked down, then took a deep breath when he finally left. She glanced at the other men in the pub, before sneaking back out. So this man was only a hired man for her father - whatever that meant. And the others were reluctant to join Spencer in joining Morgarath's fold.
Her mind racing from her thoughts, she stepped out into the sunlight, looking around for the hired man. She wondered if this was something to bring to her father. Would he even believe her? What happened if he didn't? It was Spencer's word against her's. Emily wasn't too sure her father would believe her over one of his men.
She moved towards the stable, still lost in her thoughts when she felt someone lift her off her feet by her collar. "Hey! Let me go!" she yelled, struggling to get free.
"I wonder what Lord Morgarath will say when he finds out his daughter snuck out." Spencer said.
Emily froze. "Please don't tell him. He'll be really mad, and I don't want him to be mad...Please..." She couldn't see Spencer's reaction, but he didn't say anything as he placed her in front of him in the saddle and turned towards Castle Gorlan.
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Post by Brandwyn on Feb 1, 2019 23:08:52 GMT -5
She moved towards the stable, still lost in her thoughts when she felt someone lift her off her feet by her collar. "Hey! Let me go!" she yelled, struggling to get free.
"I wonder what Lord Morgarath will say when he finds out his daughter snuck out." Spencer said.
Emily froze. "Please don't tell him. He'll be really mad, and I don't want him to be mad...Please..."
Spencer lifted her up and sat her in the saddle in front of him and wrapped one strong arm around her waist so she couldn’t get away. He turned his horse back towards Gorlan Castle, half angry at the girl for following him, and half amused at her audacity.
Half way there he asked her, “So, did you learn anything from this little excursion?”
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Post by Jordyn on Feb 1, 2019 23:17:22 GMT -5
“So, did you learn anything from this little excursion?”
Emily huffed and didn't reply for a few moments before looking over her shoulder at him. "To not trust hired men. They reek of horse dung and have to beg their friends to join a cause." She smirked back at him. "I wonder what my father will say after he finds out you've hurt me."
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Post by Brandwyn on Feb 2, 2019 23:07:35 GMT -5
"To not trust hired men. They reek of horse dung and have to beg their friends to join a cause." She smirked back at him. "I wonder what my father will say after he finds out you've hurt me."
Spencer laughed at her reply. He in fact laughed for a good long time. Finally his chuckles subsided and he said, “You got spunk, girl, I will give you that. No common sense, but you do have spunk.” They were approaching the castle. “Should be entertaining to see how you tell him you are hurt without giving away what you were doing out there.” Spencer rode through the gates, pausing to talk to the guards, “Not a word about this to anyone, understand?” Both guards nodded.
Spencer rode on through and around through the courtyard along the side to the stable area rather than going right up to the front door and marching her right into her father’s office. He dismounted and helped her down after him.
“Now you better get back in there before he realizes you were gone.” Spencer motioned her toward the common room. “Next time, if you want to go with me, just ask. It’s better that you are not running around the town by yourself, for your own safety. We’ll just keep this little incident to ourselves.”
He left her standing right there and on his way into the bunk house where Morgaroth’s soldiers were housed, he told the stable boy to prepare a fresh horse for a long journey.
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Post by Jordyn on Feb 2, 2019 23:18:49 GMT -5
“Now you better get back in there before he realizes you were gone.” Spencer motioned her toward the common room. “Next time, if you want to go with me, just ask. It’s better that you are not running around the town by yourself, for your own safety. We’ll just keep this little incident to ourselves.”
"I'm not a child," Emily protested quietly. She was, however, 7, and still very much a child. "I know how to fight!"
He left her standing right there and on his way into the bunkhouse where Morgaroth’s soldiers were housed, he told the stable boy to prepare a fresh horse for a long journey.
She watched him for a few moments, before slowly making her way into the common room, then up quietly to her room. She was thinking quickly, rubbing a sore spot from where Spencer had held her. She was right, it did hurt. But he also had a point. There was no way she could tell her father that she had been hurt without telling him of her little journey beyond the castle walls.
She picked up a doll, playing with its hair. "Well, at least I have spunk...whatever that is..." she told it quietly.
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Post by Brandwyn on Feb 3, 2019 20:08:07 GMT -5
"I'm not a child," Emily protested quietly. She was, however, 7, and still very much a child. "I know how to fight!"
Spencer nearly laughed at her again but managed to suppress a smile. He nodded gravely, “Of that I have no doubt.” He agreed, “but you are still a child and for several more years yet, I think.”
… Spencer was gone for a week. During that time Morgaroth’s soldiers and servants could be overheard talking about attacks on travelers between the northern fiefs and Araluen. Bandits were suspected. They moved swiftly and often no one survived the attacks. Gorlan’s ranger was overworked trying to keep up with all of the activity.
The local lower class people began to be afraid to travel anywhere while the highborns hired a retinue of soldiers to go with them. Merchants were complaining they couldn’t get their goods through without paying exorbitant taxes to these bandits or hiring armed guards and prices across the north soared for all kinds of imported goods.
Spencer secretly smiled as he rode through the countryside on his way back to the castle. He rode his spent horse right up to the stable doors and handed off the reins, then pulled his saddlebags off and threw them over his shoulder. He strode off to the castle side entrance and straight to Morgaroth’s office.
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Post by Jordyn on Feb 3, 2019 21:29:56 GMT -5
Emily looked up as Spencer passed her. She noticed his saddlebags and guessed that he'd been out riding. "Spencer!" she called to him, a smile on her face. "Father's seemed worried lately about what's going on," she said.
"I'm scared," she admitted after a short moments pause. "What if they try to get into the castle? Father won't tell me anything!"
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Post by Brandwyn on Feb 5, 2019 20:57:58 GMT -5
Spencer paused and gave Morgaroth’s daughter a brief smile, “Hello, Miss Emily,” he said formally. “Are you referring to the commoners out there complaining or the bandits roaming the countryside?”
He didn’t seem too concerned. “Your father has plenty of men guarding this castle. I am sure you don’t need to worry your clever little mind over it.” He tweaked her chin. He seemed to be in an extraordinarily good mood for once. “Tell you what, as soon as I finish reporting to your father, if he agrees, I will take you out for a ride so you can see for yourself some of what is going on.”
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Post by Jordyn on Mar 9, 2019 17:43:06 GMT -5
He didn’t seem too concerned. “Your father has plenty of men guarding this castle. I am sure you don’t need to worry your clever little mind over it.” He tweaked her chin. He seemed to be in an extraordinarily good mood for once. “Tell you what, as soon as I finish reporting to your father, if he agrees, I will take you out for a ride so you can see for yourself some of what is going on.”
The girl smiled and nodded, though she was still worried in her mind. Her sneaking around had earned her little to no answers so far as to what was going on, aside from the fact that the people who worked in the castle were growing restless. Some never returned.
Another part of her feared that this is what her father had warned her about. Uprisings thanks to the rebellious Prince...
But that hadn't concerned her, at least until now. Now it seemed it was outside her door...
She looked up at Spencer, tilting her head to the side, as though she was studying him, her black eyes scanning his face.
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