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Post by Robin of loxley on Apr 27, 2012 10:26:25 GMT -5
The sounds of morning drifted to his ears. The crackle of renewed fires ..... sounds of birds taking flight as the young sqwarked their hunger to their keepers. Dawn had come, along with the urgency of duty.
He rose and washed, then with dilligence he dressed for the days events. The leather uniform of the Rangers slid on easily as it had always done.... yet today it seemed to fit more comfortably than recent months, even years past.
He pondered this for a moment, wondering if this was just because he was finally going home or was it that he was just doing again what was natural for him to do.
The time had past swiftly since his almost defeat at the hands of his former leige, the poisoning had left him almost dead but not quite.
There had been a long road to recovery and even a longer road to again trust that his family would be safe if he returned to them.
He walked across the clearing and towards his horse. A muzzle reached for his hand to see if any treats were forthcoming.
He stroked the animal gently around the neck and whispered quietly.
"Time to ride again my friend. Are ye with me? "
Robin looked at Gerrad and with a nod they rode out at a fast pace towards the tavern and Dorian.
They halted a short distance before the tavern and settled the horses.
Gerrad entered the tavern and hung near the door momentarly, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting within, then scanned the room and saw Lord Dorian sitting facing the doorway.
Before he could approach the man and address him, Robin had entered the Tavern, strode forth and stood opposite the man.
"Greetings Lord Dorian, forgive ny tardiness and late arrival............"
He studied the man in front of him carefully before pulling out a seat and sitting, carefully placing his bow and quiver within easy grasp.
What news of Windstorm do ye hold.... what mischief is afoot...and how can i serve ye?
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Post by Dorian Hawkmoon on Apr 28, 2012 15:48:29 GMT -5
As it had been stated before, he was a patient man. In this "business", one simply had to be. A good teal of time was spent both listening and watching, gathering knowledge and intelligence. Ho ordered a tankard of honey mead, but disdained a meal, remembering the awful fare from his last visit. It was far too early in the day for Enaya to be about, or he would have passed the time in idle conversation with her...and may have even picked up more information. He let his eyes roam over the few scant patrons that were here at this hour...nondescript for the most part. Sipping from the tankard slowly, his eyes always went back to settle on the door. While sitting there, the barman approached and passed a note to him. He would nod and return to the serving area, as Dorian would open the scrap of paper to read the elegant scripting.
Hawk
The one I told you of is dead. His body was buried where it was found. Clem brought me the news. Call on me anytime.
Love, E
He crumbled the note and slipped it to his pocket. Though it had been a dead end, at least it was one less of the crew he would have to kill.
He hadn't been keeping track of the time as it passed slowly, keeping his mind occupied with going over how he would attack and dismantle the group of assassins and lead the remaining back towards the Castle. It had been the plan of himself and Dieter to crush then absolutely between them, and though he was not familiar with Dieter's fighting style, he knew the man would play his part perfectly.
He noted a pair as they came into the inn, and immediately he became alert. One was certainly the man that had approached him the last time and now he was accompanied by another. He watched as the man from the previous meeting turned to talk with his companion, but he had already began to make his way to the table where he sat. As he drew closer, though it had been a number of years since he'd last seen the man, there could be no mistake...it had to be, else he had taken leave of his senses. He would make no final judgement until the man would speak...and speak he did. It was indeed...Sir Robin.
Had this been another time and another place, he would have stood and embraced the man warmly, standing him to a tankard and spending hours catching up. But this was not a decade ago and much had changed, mostly in himself. Windstorm itself had changed too...and her Queen. But there would be time enough to talk of that later.
Robin would be dismayed at the change that had come over him, but it could not be helped. He was not the only one that had eyes and ears throughout the land. He met the man's eyes directly and stood, giving him a curt nod and couching his voice very low.
"There is much to be said between us, old friend...but not here. There is...trouble...at home and your wife misses you terribly. If you will, ride with me back...and I shall fill you on on what has happened...and what I plan to do about it."
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Post by Robin of Loxley on May 4, 2012 9:55:37 GMT -5
He saw the recognition in Dorians eyes as he spoke.... yet there was something amiss with his friends greeting.....it was cold yet sincere..........abrupt but to the point.
"There is much to be said between us, old friend...but not here. There is...trouble...at home and your wife misses you terribly. If you will, ride with me back...and I shall fill you on on what has happened...and what I plan to do about it."
"Then we should ride with haste Dorian iffn there be trouble at home" he replied
He sent a quick nod to Gerrad who dissapeared almost instantly..........
He stood and made his way outside, gathering up his steeds rein and mounted easliy, and sat waiting for his friend to join him.
As they left the tavern and headed towards Windstorm, he stayed silent.... waiting patiently for his friend to fill him in on the trouble that afflicted his home and what he planned to do about it.
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Post by Dorian Hawkmoon on May 4, 2012 14:27:21 GMT -5
He would follow Robin from the tavern...a quick glance to the serving man, Enaya's "associate", and he would give a slow nod in return. She would know that he would not return soon, but he knew that he could depend on her to relay any information on to him. Once outside, he would see that both Robin and Gerrad were already in their saddles and waiting. Without pause, He would move to Shade and mount as well.
"Come, gentlemen...I wish distance 'tween us and this place before I would speak freely."
Setting spurs to Shade's flanks, he would thunder away from the Boar's Nest with the other two men in close pursuit. He would keep a hard pace as they headed in the direction of Windstorm, the hooves of all three mounts kicking up dust as they put distance between them and the tavern. He kept that hard pace for perhaps an hour or so, then slowed Shade to a walk so that he could share the words he knew Robin awaited.
"Much has happened in your absence, M'Lord. I shall begin with reassuring you that your family is safe and well. I too, have been gone some years, and only recently returned a few short weeks ago."
He would begin the narrative from that point as the three rode easily along the road, telling all of what he knew concerning the attacks that had first centered on Sir Kyle, then rippled out to include any that he cared about...the attempt on Cara's life and the scar on her neck that she would carry with her always. How it had all began with one from Kyle's past that not only wanted him dead, but wanted him to suffer in the worst possible way...to see those that he loved cut down one by one. And then his own arrival just a few short days before the hired assassins had expanded to include the Queen as one of their victims, and his part in saving her life. He had tried his best to accommodate the Queen's wishes, and handle the matter without further bloodshed, but he could no longer tolerate the fact that there were those "out there" that wished to bring harm to the Queen....and to Windstorm, also...for if they were desperate enough to try to assassinate a Queen, what else were they capable of doing. He then laid out the plan he had decided on...to be the hunter..to bring the battle to the ones that struck from the shadows, for this was an area that he excelled in. He would finish with this statement as he looked off into the distance, a most grim set to his features.
"They wish to play at being monsters, and strike fear into the hearts of their victims...so be it. I intend to show them what a real monster is."
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Post by Robin of Loxley on May 17, 2012 7:29:44 GMT -5
((sorry for the delay in posting, i've been away))
Robin listened intently as Dorian unravelled recent events. He stiffened in the saddle as the man spoke of the attempt on Sir kyle’s, Cara’s and then his Queens life.
He nodded to himself approvingly as Dorian recounted how he had saved the Queens life.
He listened with interest as Dorian lay out the plan that he had decided on taking……. to be the hunter and to take the battle to the enemy. It was Dorians next statement that made him almost feel sorry for the offenders, almost but not quite.
"They wish to play at being monsters, and strike fear into the hearts of their victims...so be it. I intend to show them what a real monster is."
As Dorian finished speaking and looked off into the distance with a grim look upon his face, Robin realised that they had come to a stop. He paused for a moment as he looked at the man next to him, then finally he spoke.
“M’Lord Dorian………. Your news troubles me deeply, yet it would seem that your plan is a good one and that it will indeed have the outcome ye desire. I know that ye more than likely will nae need any assistance but my services are always there if ye need either myself or the Rangers”
He looked again at the man and locked eyes with him. The anger, hatred and what seemed like unimaginable loss emanated from within and yet, there was something that told him that his friend was not completely consumed by those feelings, at least not yet.
He spoke quietly…………….
“So many of us within this realm have lost so much….. some have lost friends, colleagues, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. I have lost scores of Rangers and the Castle has lost guards, servants and the realm has lost countless good yeomen and women. Yet we prevail and continue on.
The reason we prevail, as I see it, is this. We have something that those who try their best to undo us do nae have. We have hope and when one has hope one has an advantage. Your plan will work if you hold hope for a peaceful realm once more and dispatch our enemies swiftly…. If that hope is not there, more of these same people will come to take their place.
When your plan does work as ye have outlined to me this day, and they see that we are nae helpless and that we hold the hope of a better future………I think they will see our resolve and think better of continuing this futile action. If not, then they shall continue to suffer the consequences.
I would ask of you my friend, that if ye do nae wish me to ride with ye further to hunt, that even though you have lost almost an insufferable amount in the past that you hold hope in your heart and come back after your hunt to those that care for you and ye know who they be”
There is no worse death than the death of hope my friend”
With that said, He waited for Dorian to respond……………………..
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Post by Dorian Hawkmoon on May 21, 2012 14:49:55 GMT -5
He turned and looked to the man he called friend and comrade...and thought of as a brother. Robin had always had a way with his words that made one not only hear what he said, but feel what he felt. He knew so many had lost...the war with the Vikings...the Franks. He had lost friends and comrades by the scores, over the years, as well...and that was why he would do this thing. Windstorm was a safe haven...a Sanctuary...and by the gods, he would not let that Sanctuary fall, even though he may be one against hundreds. He knew that others felt the same way he did...Robin, hardly the least of them. His face was unreadable as Robin spoke of peace...though he, himself, was no man of peace...it was the one thing he desired most. Windstorm...Edfeil....gave that peace
He would turn to look at friend, comrade, brother-in-arms..all these things in one man...and reply in a quiet voice:
"You speak well and truly, Sir Robin...and your words are truer than most I have heard in many a year. Never doubt that you, Gerrad, and indeed all of your brave band will always have a home in Windstorm. I would draw steel with you at my back proudly...anytime...anywhere...no matter the odds. We are of Windstorm...and will will NOT go quietly into that goodnight, but will fight to our last breath to preserve our home....our peace...our way of life. What I have lost...will never be again...but I will fight to my last drop of blood...to see that no one else loses."
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