Vengance

[The past that haunts]

He trailed his eyes on the castle, and let the name sing through his blood. Draven. It ripped through his veins like vengance. Ten years old was their scole and this time it would be settled for good. In blood. Kyle's, or that of those he cared most about. Grief could be the first weakness in his defenses. And after that, he would deal with the rest of the family. There would be no one of that cursed blood left on this earth by the time he was done, and none to remember them if his work was done well. Time for the endgame.

[The past that haunts]

He wandered the village with ease. Disappeared into the forest and made his way towards the treeline. Had Draven traveled away from the castle in search of them? He hoped so. It was easier to stab a man in the back. Or slit the throat of someone that would bleed him deeper than any weapon to his own flesh.
His observation over these past weeks had identified several possible targets. Now he just needed to consider: did he aim immediately for the hall? Or would he go for one with the easiest access. He could wait around for a lucky chance or a shot. He could try and get inside. Or he could chose terror as his weapon. There were ways, and he knew them all.

[Cara McKenna]

Cara quietly walked the Halls of the Castle for awhile as she let her mind wander. There was too much to do before Yule but her heart wasnt in it not yet.Shaking her head she grabs an apple and heads out toward the stables to visit Kyle's Blue Roan mare knowing the stable hands would allow her in without worry.Soon she stands before the mare holding out the juicy ripe apple for her enjoyment before burying her face for a moment into the soft warm neck....He'll be back soon, girl. Don't worry I'll take care of ya till then....she murmurs then calls to one of the stable hands to bring her out so she can be brushed. It was not the normal work of a castle lady but then again she wasn't exactly the normal castle girl...

[The past that haunts]

Orders had been given. Oh, he knew Kyle of old, and in such the work was a delight. His feud though did not run as deep as his Masters. His work was here, choosing a target and striking, then disappearing like the mist. He had seven with him. Not much against a castle's might, but they needed to take the rangers into account. More men would catch more notice. And they needed to move swiftly after the deed was done. Survive and strike again. That was the plan.
First an easy target. Then when uproar would cause people to be less careful, other things could be added. There were several he would not mind getting to.

[The past that haunts]

The observation continued. Seven of them. Not in a group of louts hanging around and arousing suspicion but dispersed at various points. A new merchant in town, a traveler in worn clothing, men that had learned their way in the woods and on the roads, not an unseasoned bunch of bandits.
Yet bandits might make their work harder. Vigilance was not in their best interest and after the woman had ridden up to the gate pierced with arrows, vigilance had heightened.
It hadn't been all. Ghaele Draven had been seen entering the castle. The presence unexpected, they had been too late to string bow and take one third of the family out with one shot. With any luck they could root out the whole cursed brood at once. Or even with just the brothers out of the way, Adrianna would become an easy enough target.

Did any know of their presence? Kyle was out hunting elsewhere where what he needed to be worried over was burrowing in like a rabit near his own home. Though at the same time, the hunter was being hunted by those who knew him longest and had cut him deepest. And now would finish the job. He had cheated death before. Not this time.
This time they would kill both heart and soul, because forever it would be etched in him that his family old and new was gone because of him.

[The past that haunts]

*He would need to decide soon whether to send one of his men to enter the castle and attempt a strike, or wait till someone came out. Even in winter, everyone traveled out sometime, even if it was just to the village. The road from the castle was under surveillance. There had been talk of amassing a larger force while Kyle was hunting, or being hunted. Perhaps that would still come. For now they would bet on their own invisibility. It's harder to hide an army, and the six he worked with were well trained. Peter, Gurnod, Daziel, Benedict, Hugh and Peter the wily. Each of them had their own reasons for the job. Quite often that reason was coin. But for some, things went deeper.

[Sir Kyle Draven]

Ghaele after doing his do in the castle left it and came to the village and He knew about the woman that was suppose to be a part of this and He went to go see this woman, thanks to a few of His Rangers that were patrolling the forest Ghaele knew where Kyle was and sent a few people to go and watch over and not interfere unless it was needed, but knowing His brother it would not be but this time he had a bad feeling about things, something was just off and not right, so through the night He was lurking about in the village and keeping his presence unknown to others, at least about who he was, to them he was just another stranger that came to town and He would have his hood up covering his features as he moved about, he was getting this odd feeling and could not place it...was just off and he did not know why really and he hated that.....


He had staked out the woman's home for a day, just to see what she was up to and see what visitors she had if any and what was a normal day for her, slowly taking in breaths as He shadowed her, from the shops she went to, to the tavern and then to the docks..he wondered, he would have to be a bit more open in his spying as there were not many places to just step out of sight unless you were in the water, but she did have a meeting it seemed and with a some one that looked known to him and he wracked his brain trying to think why this person looked so known, then it hit, not the thought, but a drunken fool that stumbled into him and the two he was spying on looked over but he was ducked behind a crate and with his hand around the drinks mouth and a look in his eyes that would cower most any one, the meeting was broke up and He stayed hidden till they were from sight and got up and left the drunk on the ground, he had passed out and so it continues...

[The past that haunts]

If they had not been watching the castle itsself and those that entered and left, they would have missed it. If there interest had not been in the Draven's especially they would have missed it. But Daziel had been on his post, and while Ghaele followed the woman, he had been stalked. Some opportunities were too good to miss, even if they involved a bit of danger. His face wasn't known to Ghaele. His own history was with Kyle. Yet his employer had been quick to point out the other Draven when first he entered the castle. Being unknown had the advantage he did not need to hide, just loiter around and look inconspicuously busy.


Daziel saw the woman being followed, he saw the altercation with the drunk, and finally Ghaele left his hiding place and got up. A chance. The opening perhaps they had been waiting for. When Ghaele left the hiding spot behind the crates, Daziel took it up and quickly strung the small composite bow, then notched an arrow and sighted the man's back, between the shoulder blades. His movements were quick, precise and practiced as the bowstring was pulled back, then released and the arrow sought it's target.

He took time only to unstring the bow, then turned to dissolve within the bustle of the harbour's traffic.

[Sir Kyle Draven]

as He was about to leave and was unware of the archer being there, the shot that hit him struck and He went down, but as the archer was leaving, what the archer did not know was that Ghaele had back up there and when the archer was leaving one the rangers came out and stood in front of the archer, Ghaele was getting up as He had protection under the cloak He had on and He looked around as He got up and looked to His rangers and grinned as it looked like they had the one that shot Him and now it was time for some answers, he reached around and took the arrow out, it must have slipped just off the peice of metal back there and it did hit His back and He had a look in His eyes that said He was not going to grant mercy after this was done......

[The past that haunts]

Daziel had been about to leave. Draven had gone down. His job was done, his reward would be great. As he saw people running towards the felled knight, he turned to leave. And then he stopped. For one of the people was not running. A uniformed guard. The Draven Crest. Then a second. The Windstorm Crest. Their steps led towards him. Panic mounted though he tried desperately not to show anything. Nothing could be proven, could there? Had they seen...

He took a step to the left only to find one of the guards standing before him, and there did not seem distress on his face, only a mixture of amused satisfaction and a hardness he had not yet encountered. On the right the Windstorm guard closed in, and when he turned to make his way past the crates, he found that Ghaele was not laying down bathed in blood but rose the arrow not having pierced through skin and flesh, but stuck in.. something, and the look in his eyes was enough to make a man's skin crawl.

There was no way out, no way forward. What would there be. He could try and draw. Would there be a way out without death? Would even death be better than what might await him if he talked? If he did not talk?

[Lady Edfeil]

((It seems like 'Vengance" is stepping up their attacks. In the room last night, we had an intruder in the kitchen. I scripted part of it. Hopefully Dieter and Cara have the aftermath. I just cut out the ooc and deleted some of the white spaces. *chuckles* Should be easier to read now.))

www.roleplayoasis.com/filestore/faerieeva/Hugh3.pdf

[Lady Edfeil]

*It had been one of the hardest things she had encountered in years. To see Cara the next day, pale and still in the infirmary. She'ld been dosed with poppy juice to allow the healer to do his work. The next day she had been able to talk to her, and confirm what rumor; the man in the dungeon had been send to kill Cara, specifically. She had provided with comfort and strength she could, but within her mind had been the duty she faced of questioning the man. This nae could be shrugged off as a bandit's attack or a thieves' attempt. They needed to know what was going on.

The questioning had nae gone well. The man had spat her defiantly, then attacked Dieter who had accompanied her for protection when she had tried to leave the dungeon. Punishment for his actions should be death. She knew such. The man had tried to kill one of Windstorm in cold blood. He had attacked a belted knight, a prince of another realm. And he refused to speak and offer her anything she could trade for leniency.
How could she nae pronounce the sentence according to law. Yet how could she condemn a man and upon her word end another's life?? She remembered years ago how she had rushed from Caerfarnon's tower after they discussed a traitor's death. She nae was a warrior queen. But she had strength in her own way. And a plan.

The very next day, the guards would be hiding smiles as pleading and begging was heard in the dungeons. A man's voice desperately pleading for his life. For mercy. For it to stop. Then the begging and screaming turned to a frantic whisper and the queen's voice was heard giving a command. She had heard enough. There was the sound of a scuffle as the hoarse pleading turned to fight, a man dragged down on his last journey to a scaffold. The begging only stopped into unearthly silence after the dull thud of an ax.

And then silence had filled the dungeons. Yet minutes later there was been laughter in the guard's quarter where five handpicked guards were drinking a well deserved pint. "Ye should have been a Thespian, Derreck!" Allen offered to the young recruit whose screaming had sounded like a tortured soul's final minutes and who now was wetting a little strip of a moustache by gulping down ale. "George here, nearly wetted himself!"
Allen grinned at the runt who had but joined the guards this summer. The Master Sergeant who had joined the group to hear the last details nodded. "As long as that rat in the dungeons wetted himself as well. Hopefully fear will make him talk a bit easier once the queen gets him out next."

[Sir Kyle Draven]

Ghaele looking to the man that was being held by the guard and ranger and He looked not all to happy, but why should He be as He was just shot in the back, Ghaele's eyes held anger and something more, something dark, though a Holy Warrior, they tend to get pissed as well and Ghaele was just that and He motioned for the men to move the held man to the building on the right of them, the men moved into there and cleared out any that were there as this was buisness and knew not to ask questions or linger too long, Ghaele went in after all were cleared out and He grinned as He closed the door.....


Soon walking over and taking the arrow that was in Him, Ghaele got closer and then jabbed the arrow into the gut of the held man and then Ghaele took a seat as the man being held now had his mouth covered to muffle the sounds of the screams......

Now listen, I only have a few questions and if you answer them correctly, then and only then I will think about letting you leave here with only a limp that will last the rest of your short life. Anything else and well, I just nay know what will happen. Understood?




the man nodded and all this could be done with one simple question and that question was ...who sent you...


Who sent you and let Me remind you, you are still , well, you know

and then there was a grin on Ghaele's face as He asked the question, Ghaele looked at the man intently as if to judge if what was about to be said was a lie or not, as Ghaele looked on He pulled out a dagger, it was just for show, but the man did not know that, the arrow to the gut should have gotten rid of that thought.....

[Sir Kyle Draven]

It was just then as the man was about to speak Ghaele heard the caw and knew that was Gabe and figured Kyle was back but then it cawed again and it made Him look out the window and Gabe was circling and He got up and looked to the others and gave a knowing nod and went outside and as soon as that happened, Ghaele stepping out, Gabe flew down and perched on His arm and looked into Gabe's eyes, there was a message there and Ghaele nodded and He was a ranger and good with animals and knew what this meant, it was death but He nay knew of who and He shook HIs head and then walked back into the room and looked to His people and spoke.


Let him go.

they all looked to him in shock and was about to speak


I said, let him go. I will find him again. Do not think you are getting off this easy. I have more pressing matters to attend to.


with that Ghaele left and headed back to the castle, moving swiftly in His stride....

[The past that haunts]

*He stared at you, incredulously. As soon as the hands let go of his arms, the hand drawn away from his mouth, he gulped in air, pressed his hands to the wound of the arrow in his gut. And something in his eyes changed. Fear. He had been afraid before, but his mind had still been working. Now that fear turned inward. He knew what to expect as a warrior. Knew what was part of the course and had wheedled himself out of more than one situation with half information, and more. Now.. this.. was unexpected. He was not one to look a given horse in the mouth, but it seemed almost certain the nag would run away with him at any way.*

What devil's trick...

*He did not finish the sentence. Whatever was happening, he was not going to wait for it. Half stumbling, half running, his hands to his gut he made his way out, to hopefully find help, if there was any to be had from his comrades.*