Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on Jul 31, 2005 10:31:48 GMT -5
I stretched indolently, truly not wanting to get up but the pressure was building and I knew I needed to go relieve myself. I knew I shouldn't have bought that last pitcher of ale. Groaning, I dragged myself to a sitting position, disturbing my bedmate as I did. Furrowing my brow I searched my mind for a name to go with the arm that snatched the covers back and began to snore. Ashley? Aida? Anise? I was fairly certain it started with an A. She was the one who had brought me that last pitcher of ale. A fine Alban woman. I think she's Alban, I don't remember much talk about bloodlines.
Standing up, I swayed and grabbed onto the bedpost as the room whirled and spun. My stomach made a mighty effort to leave my body through my mouth, but I forced it back into place. I slowly made my way to the door, seeing my cloak piled on the couch I grabbed it to cover my nakedness. Removing the cloak revealed another woman, this one curled up on the couch. Robyn? Michelle? I wasn't as certain about this name. Nor really how she had gotten here. I crossed the rest of the way to the door.
Opening the door I was faced by a very long hallway lined with doors. I was in no shape to try and figure out which door was the one I needed so I gingerly made my way down the stairs that were to the right. I turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs, recoiling as bright sunlight flooded the inn and sliced through my eyes and into my brain. Cursed Alban ale. Narrowing my eyes to slits I groped my way outside and around the back of the building. Finding a convenient tree, I leaned my arm against the trunk to keep me steady as I began to relieve myself. Finishing, I turned to head back to the inn, wrapping my cloak around me again when I heard my name.
"Alain!" Raising my hand to keep as much of the sun away as possible, I looked towards where the voice had come from. Sitting on the fence that surrounded the corral next to the inn's barn was Marshall. I watched as he jumped down and headed towards me. I moved several feet from the tree I had just watered and carefully lowered myself to a sitting position on the ground. Darkness surrounded me as Marshall got close enough for his shadow to fall across me. He squatted beside me and I turned my face towards him. "Blessed Elua, Alain you look awful. I won't even bring up the smell."
Closing one eye so that I only had to concentrate of focusing the other, I said "Thanks."
"Ale?", he asked.
"Yes." I was having trouble talking, my tongue felt as if I had been licking a ragged dog. "They should use that bloody ale as a weapon. Albans could conquer everything and never have to draw their swords." Marshall chuckled and slapped me on the back, causing my brain to slam into the front of my skull. I grabbed his arm before he could follow it up with another slap. "Do that again and I will retch all over your fancy new boots." Marshall is quicker than he looks and he jumped up and out of range with amazing speed. "Please go up to my room and gather all my stuff. Leave money for the women up there, and pay the innkeeper."
"Yes, sir. Where shall I find you afterward?"
"Right here." I pulled my knees up, crossed my arms on them and rested my head on my arms.
I had no idea how much time had passed when Marshall returned. He laid my bags down beside me, gently laying my sword across the top. Without raising my head I told him, "Thank you."
"As I was paying the innkeeper he gave me this letter for you. He said it came by courier at first light this morning. Apparently the courier has been trailing us for nearly a fortnight."
Slowly I raised my head to see Marshall holding a rather battered looking letter. He held it out to me and I took the letter, turning it over to check the seal. There, in a thick circle of wax, was my father's seal. The pounding in my head that had lessened while I sat waiting for Marshall returned in a crashing wave. I cracked the seal and withdrew the single sheet of parchment. Unfolding it, I read the five words that were written in my father's unmistakable hand.
I returned the parchment to the envelope and handed it back to Marshall. I returned my arms and head to their previous position.
"Sir?" asked Marshall. When I did not respond he knelt down again, laying his hand on my shoulder. "Alain?"
Head still down I told him, "Prepare the horses for journey by ship. We leave tomorrow."
"Where?"
"Terre d'Ange. We're going home."
Standing up, I swayed and grabbed onto the bedpost as the room whirled and spun. My stomach made a mighty effort to leave my body through my mouth, but I forced it back into place. I slowly made my way to the door, seeing my cloak piled on the couch I grabbed it to cover my nakedness. Removing the cloak revealed another woman, this one curled up on the couch. Robyn? Michelle? I wasn't as certain about this name. Nor really how she had gotten here. I crossed the rest of the way to the door.
Opening the door I was faced by a very long hallway lined with doors. I was in no shape to try and figure out which door was the one I needed so I gingerly made my way down the stairs that were to the right. I turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs, recoiling as bright sunlight flooded the inn and sliced through my eyes and into my brain. Cursed Alban ale. Narrowing my eyes to slits I groped my way outside and around the back of the building. Finding a convenient tree, I leaned my arm against the trunk to keep me steady as I began to relieve myself. Finishing, I turned to head back to the inn, wrapping my cloak around me again when I heard my name.
"Alain!" Raising my hand to keep as much of the sun away as possible, I looked towards where the voice had come from. Sitting on the fence that surrounded the corral next to the inn's barn was Marshall. I watched as he jumped down and headed towards me. I moved several feet from the tree I had just watered and carefully lowered myself to a sitting position on the ground. Darkness surrounded me as Marshall got close enough for his shadow to fall across me. He squatted beside me and I turned my face towards him. "Blessed Elua, Alain you look awful. I won't even bring up the smell."
Closing one eye so that I only had to concentrate of focusing the other, I said "Thanks."
"Ale?", he asked.
"Yes." I was having trouble talking, my tongue felt as if I had been licking a ragged dog. "They should use that bloody ale as a weapon. Albans could conquer everything and never have to draw their swords." Marshall chuckled and slapped me on the back, causing my brain to slam into the front of my skull. I grabbed his arm before he could follow it up with another slap. "Do that again and I will retch all over your fancy new boots." Marshall is quicker than he looks and he jumped up and out of range with amazing speed. "Please go up to my room and gather all my stuff. Leave money for the women up there, and pay the innkeeper."
"Yes, sir. Where shall I find you afterward?"
"Right here." I pulled my knees up, crossed my arms on them and rested my head on my arms.
I had no idea how much time had passed when Marshall returned. He laid my bags down beside me, gently laying my sword across the top. Without raising my head I told him, "Thank you."
"As I was paying the innkeeper he gave me this letter for you. He said it came by courier at first light this morning. Apparently the courier has been trailing us for nearly a fortnight."
Slowly I raised my head to see Marshall holding a rather battered looking letter. He held it out to me and I took the letter, turning it over to check the seal. There, in a thick circle of wax, was my father's seal. The pounding in my head that had lessened while I sat waiting for Marshall returned in a crashing wave. I cracked the seal and withdrew the single sheet of parchment. Unfolding it, I read the five words that were written in my father's unmistakable hand.
I am dying.
Come home.
Come home.
I returned the parchment to the envelope and handed it back to Marshall. I returned my arms and head to their previous position.
"Sir?" asked Marshall. When I did not respond he knelt down again, laying his hand on my shoulder. "Alain?"
Head still down I told him, "Prepare the horses for journey by ship. We leave tomorrow."
"Where?"
"Terre d'Ange. We're going home."