Birthright Chapter Nine

[Varrus the Ethical]

Roald smiles back. "I would have your name, first, good sir. I wen't through a lot of trouble capturing Lord Riegon. I can't let just anyone see him."

[ewancummins]

Roald smiles back. "I would have your name, first, good sir. I wen't through a lot of trouble capturing Lord Riegon. I can't let just anyone see him."

''Alver, my lord. They call me Alver."

[Varrus the Ethical]

ROALD


Roald inclines his head. "Welcome to Haes, Alver, the war between our realms not withstanding. I would be happy to let you see Lord Riegon, but I'm afraid I must wait until I receive Duke Devlin's response."

[ewancummins]

ROALD


Roald inclines his head. "Welcome to Haes, Alver, the war between our realms not withstanding. I would be happy to let you see Lord Riegon, but I'm afraid I must wait until I receive Duke Devlin's response."

"I do hope that won't take long. My master may change his mind and burn your friend."

[ewancummins]

FOERDE, IN THE CASTLE YARDS WITH SIR RORY


Foerde has just found Sir Rory the Castellan walking with haste across the outer bailey.
The old knight stops when the priest hails him.
"I'm on my way to greet the Archprelate, who we expect will here any minute. Is there something important you needed to ask or tell me, Foerde?"


Just then, both men hear some commotion and alarum from the lower hall of the keep.

Sir Rory turns his head to gaze over Foerde's shoulder towards the keep, with a scowl showing on his lined face
"What now?"

[Varrus the Ethical]

ROALD


Roald inclines his head. "Welcome to Haes, Alver, the war between our realms not withstanding. I would be happy to let you see Lord Riegon, but I'm afraid I must wait until I receive Duke Devlin's response."

"I do hope that won't take long. My master may change his mind and burn your friend."

Roald's cold eyes narrow. "Then he burns, and I still have Riegon." He walks up to Alver, his smile vanishing. "We both know that a Duke's brother is far more valuable than the life of an unbathed druid."

[ewancummins]

DEEP IN THE GLOOMY DUNGEONS BELOW CAER ALAM


Cormac meditates in his darkened cell.

From down the hallway, he hears groans and shrieks as the duke's torturers work on other prisoners.

BOOM
BOOM
BOOM

Fists pounding on his door shatter what remains of his concentration.

The turnkey's rough voice bawls out,
"You got a visitor."

[ewancummins]

ROALD


Roald inclines his head. "Welcome to Haes, Alver, the war between our realms not withstanding. I would be happy to let you see Lord Riegon, but I'm afraid I must wait until I receive Duke Devlin's response."

"I do hope that won't take long. My master may change his mind and burn your friend."

Roald's cold eyes narrow. "Then he burns, and I still have Riegon." He walks up to Alver, his smile vanishing. "We both know that a Duke's brother is far more valuable than the life of an unbathed druid."

"Indeed. And we both know that Duke Devlin will most likely execute Lord Riegon as soon as he returns to Haes. The young duke's fiery zeal for justice, or perhaps I ought to say revenge, is well known on both sides of the river these days. If you want to swap Riegon for anything but torched bones, you may wish to reconsider waiting so long. Surely you have the power to act."

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Indeed. And we both know that Duke Devlin will most likely execute Lord Riegon as soon as he returns to Haes. The young duke's fiery zeal for justice, or perhaps I ought to say revenge, is well known on both sides of the river these days. If you want to swap Riegon for anything but torched bones, you may wish to reconsider waiting so long. Surely you have the power to act."

"What I suspect is also well known on both side of the river, titles aside, is that I am a mercenary at heart. And a damn good one at that. I know the value life holds, right down to the last copper. If Carlion wishes his brother returned, he will have to buy him. The druid can be offered as part of the ransom. But if he dies, then the price of Riegon's ransom goes up considerably."

Roald raises an eyebrow. "I wonder how much gold your master has left after all the reverses he's suffered in this war?"

[ewancummins]

"Indeed. And we both know that Duke Devlin will most likely execute Lord Riegon as soon as he returns to Haes. The young duke's fiery zeal for justice, or perhaps I ought to say revenge, is well known on both sides of the river these days. If you want to swap Riegon for anything but torched bones, you may wish to reconsider waiting so long. Surely you have the power to act."

"What I suspect is also well known on both side of the river, titles aside, is that I am a mercenary at heart. And a damn good one at that. I know the value life holds, right down to the last copper. If Carlion wishes his brother returned, he will have to buy him. The druid can be offered as part of the ransom. But if he dies, then the price of Riegon's ransom goes up considerably."

Roald raises an eyebrow. "I wonder how much gold your master has left after all the reverses he's suffered in this war?"

Alver shrugs.

"I'm sure a suitable arrangement can be made. First I need to see Lord Riegon, alive and well. Please take me to him, or else I will return and tell my master that he must draw his own conclusions as to his brother's whereabouts and condition."

[Adam]

CORMAC

The priest jumps up, straightening his likely well-worn at this point garments.

"Aye, come in, then," he shouts through the door.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Alver shrugs.

"I'm sure a suitable arrangement can be made. First I need to see Lord Riegon, alive and well. Please take me to him, or else I will return and tell my master that he must draw his own conclusions as to his brother's whereabouts and condition."

Roald smiles widely. "In that case, I'll see about bringing him here to present to you. No offense, but I'd rather not have one of Carlion's agents see which cell we're keeping him in."

[VAN]

Filbert is as wake up from a dream, but with a sensation of being more strong and more alive than ever. He looks around trying to remember what has just happened. Last thing he remembers is Reigon escaping, him to call the guards and go after the prisoner. Renn and Gunnar to try and get him and then blank. The halfling looks down at his sword still at Riegon's body. He blinks several times as he starts to realize what has just happened. He remembers Reigon talking with no respect at all about the women and the babies and what he has done to them. He used them to gain power. He remembers himself standing there listening and trying to control his anger. He remembers the ghosts calling at Riegon as the Shadoworld. He remembers the pit in Lofton, the arena, Torthur's story about the women in the cages. He remembers again Riegon talking about how he murdered these women and the babies. Was everything about power. And now he has gotten this power, he could feel it. Was a very strange sensation, justice. This word is swirling at the halfling's mind. Justice, Riegon has gotten the right punishment for his crimes. He was a murderer who didn't value human's life and did everything for the power but he didn't deserve this power. Justice, he had to die from someone better than him after all strength makes the power and apparently the odds were with Filbert this time, he had the strength and now he has the power!

The halfling cannot help his smile, but it lasts barely a second. The reality strikes in, they have lost their leverage...Now they cannot exchange Riegon for Cormac...Roald has gone to talk with the Alamn messenger and the temple's representative was on his way to meet with Riegon. The halfling got an expression of terror as he thinks the bad situation they are right now. He turns to face Renn and Gunnar and looks at them for couple seconds unable to talk. The sensation that he did the right thing fades, or maybe it still exists deep down, but right now Filbert understands that he lashed out and killed a valuable prisoner and he has a lot to explain to so many people. He opens his mouth to talk, then looks at Reigon's body and he says:

"I'm sorry. I blanked out, couldn't control myself, the anger got the best of me. Was like someone else guided my hand, like Justice should have been given by me. As if I had to punish Riegon for his crimes. I had to bring Justice. I know that we wanted him alive, I know that now Cormac is doomed and we need to tell something to the Alam's messanger to buy time. I don't know what to say. It felt like it was the right thing to do, the right thing I had to do...was only Justice. "

[ewancummins]

IN THE DUNGEONS OF LOFTON

CORMAC

The priest jumps up, straightening his likely well-worn at this point garments.

"Aye, come in, then," he shouts through the door.

Keys jangle, a bolt slides in its grooves, and the door opens. Cormac sees at least six or seven mailed men standing just outside, with cudgels and daggers,
A pudgy little man dressed in drab clothes enters the room. He smiles, licking his puffy lips, and looks Cormac up and down with two bulging, glassy eyes. Three mail-clad soldiers enter along with the man.
The door bolt slides shut on the other side with a definite THUMP. The lock tumbles and clicks.

The frog-faced little man says, ''Time for a physical examination.'' He lays a clean, new-looking black leather bag on the far end of the cell's little cot.
He opens the valise, reaches inside, and withdraws a shiny metal hook on a short wooden handle.

''Hold still.''

He reaches towards Cormac's crotch with the gaff...

[ewancummins]

ALVER AND SIR ROALD

Alver shrugs.

"I'm sure a suitable arrangement can be made. First I need to see Lord Riegon, alive and well. Please take me to him, or else I will return and tell my master that he must draw his own conclusions as to his brother's whereabouts and condition."

Roald smiles widely. "In that case, I'll see about bringing him here to present to you. No offense, but I'd rather not have one of Carlion's agents see which cell we're keeping him in."

The thin messenger nods. He reaches up to brush stray blond locks from his eyes.

"Yes, by all means, bring him to me. I have no strong desire to see the dungeons of Caer Haes."