The Firelord's Crown

Lord Protector

Lord Protector

It was a night for introspection. Wrapped deep in his mantle and as deeply in his thoughts, Rollo stalked the upper battlements like a bird of ill-omen. The watchmen smartened their pace when they passed him, saluted fist over chest, but his brooding frame hardly registered their gestures of respect. His path intersected with the watchtower and he paused beneath its sheltered arches to dust clumps of snow from his cloak. At his feet gleamed the snail’s trail of the circulating guardsmen and, in the shadows, further puddles bore witness to other respites. Rollo settled himself against the rail and scanned the courtyard. Above the Great Portal the flickering tongues of the torches burned unevenly. Footprints pocked the white quilt below, indications of others abroad beside himself and the watchmen. He wondered who else had difficulty in finding sleep.

Rollo shivered yet again as snow flurried through the archway and shook fresh flakes from his hair. He smiled at the childish gesture of defiance, which made him wear it long rather than crop it to the helmet-shortness of the Talorian knights, then glanced at his hand. Unconsciously he had used his left. He turned it over and flexed the fingers within the leather glove. By rights it should have been unusable for at least another seven days but Airen was a skilled healer. Then he looked up at the shaft of light flooding from the North Tower garret and realised that, by now, the wayfarer’s skill was deciding Dinith’s future. Rollo prayed that Airen did not fail in his task. The knight was fully aware of the consequences should Falath share Anser’s fate and die untimely. Even now the blackened scars of the previous Kinstrife four hundred years ago tarnished the hills of Bilonac.

The crisp step of the returning guardsmen echoed through the underwalk and paused close by. Rollo lowered his gaze and listened to their subdued chatter. With the scrape of something metallic a small spark flickered and caught, illuminating the men. One was old, his face creased with many time-beaten lines. A neat grey-streaked moustache warmed his lips which sucked at a hand-carved wooden pipe. His companion rested jauntily against his pike-staff then happened to look in Rollo’s direction. His face dropped and he stood, stock-still, at attention. His friend raised a querying eyebrow then likewise blanched. He slipped the pipe into his pocket and took up his pike.

“Beg pardon, milord, we didn’t realise you was there. We’ll be getting along now.”

He made to move but Rollo held up his hand and he returned to attention. His face clearly showed that he expected some reproof or worse from the shieran Lord of Chanon.

“It’s a foul night and I would begrudge no man the comfort of his pipe. You have my leave to continue,” Rollo granted.

The look of astonishment from the guardsman was almost too much for Rollo’s newly-awakened sensibilities to bear. Rollo cast his cloak about him and strode back into the slanting snow, the man’s incredulous stare boring into his shoulder-blades as he retreated towards the Keep.

Once out of sight Rollo slowed his pace and cursed himself for displaying such weakness. He should have bawled the man out yet tonight he sensed only the ache of rheumaticky joints and the slight solace afforded by herbal pipeweed. He paused in the doorway, troubled by the encounter. Then he laughed. One breach of discipline could hardly endanger the Keep and it was a foul night.

The warrior ducked back within the confines of the Keep and slammed the door on the flakes that sought to follow him in. He picked his way down the worn spiral but, as he rounded the first bend, he caught the sound of a faint cry and tilted his head to hear. When no further noise was forthcoming he continued on his way. As he tramped down the stairway he was forced to catch at the newel, aware that a strange lethargy was stealing through his limbs. Perhaps it was time to seek the comfort of his bed. Besides, further brooding could not help Falath now. For good or ill that issue had been concluded.