*Weekly updates* "There are no leashes now, no bindings," she says, her voice a dark lullaby in the flickering candlelight, "and it is their sacrifice that gave us this. Nothing can ever repay it. No one can ever take it from us. So now, in this hal...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The great hall of Bear's Spear lies dark, only a low fire flickers in the cradle of its hearth, the yellow flames licking cold, gray stone and casting long shadows.
A dark shape sits in the great chair beside it, the glow giving a cold halo to the long, dark hair, and the blue-white flesh of a forearm whose fingers twine in the inky tendrils above. In the shadows of its face, one perceptible eye watches.
Beside Fae Urilong, Keno shifts almost imperceptibly. She senses a great uneasiness from him and silently wills him calm, or at least calm enough that the shadow will not notice.
"Our birds report that Roften's forces are over the pass and into Halften," General Hin says, her eyes only lingering on the shape for a moment before darting back down to her papers. "We have just gotten confirmation that Solveig's have been mobilized too. With Roften cutting down from the north, Solveig from the west, and Her Grace and Your Excellence from the South and the East, we shall have the Cabal well and truly pinned in Quersido."
"We will have to coordinate the siege," General Jin says, rolling out a map on the table. "The walls are certainly scalable, but if we can break the gates, we can get more forces in quicker and overtake the city before they can damage valuable assets—"
'I trust you will have it all well in hand, General," a cold voice from the shape says, and General Jin falls silent. "You and your sister are more than competent to take on the tactical forces of the Cabal."
A heavy silence follows.
"What of our spy network?" Hin asks to relieve them all, and her pinched face, strangely rabbit-like in the dim light, turns to Fae and Keno. "What news do you have, Spymaster?"
"Ben has resurfaced in Quersido this week," Keno answers, "though it seems his retinue is much smaller than it was when it left. His right hand man, a Smith-caller named Davelin has not yet been seen again. My spies are inquiring so we may know exactly where he has hidden himself—"
"That man is dead," the shape at the head of the table interjects. "And the leader of the Cabal has been in Quersido since early last week."
It shifts in its seat, the cold gaze of its one, visible eye drifting over to the spymaster.
"Fear not, old friend," it says, no warmth in its tone. "I still have use for you yet. Even if it is not as... spymaster. Outside of myself, you are perhaps the one who understands our enemy the best."
As tense as a tightly coiled spring, Keno dips his head in assent but says no more.
"Are you ready to face the Cabal once more, Queen Urilong?" the Paragon asks now, and the table turns to Fae.
"Without a doubt," she answers, holding this shadow's gaze. "I look forward to it."
"As do I," the Paragon answers. "Very much so. I think Ben will find himself on a much different playing field than he did in Solveigard City. With a much different opponent."
It pauses for a moment, and then adds: "We may yet add to your collection of heads."
"I am glad to hear it," Fae responds, her hands linking together in a pantomime of a prayer, or maybe just a tight, stiff fist underneath the table.
"We just have to wait for our... friends," the Paragon continues. "Of the Chieftainess, I am unconcerned, but Solveig is still unstable. We will have to keep an eye on our friend and his council."
"Keesark will stand with the Paragon and the new High King Baulieu as his kingdom adjusts to its changes," Fae answers carefully. "The noble houses of Solveig are reasonable, they will adjust in time too."
"Perhaps," the Paragon says. "We will offer Hiran all the support we can."
The eye's gaze slides once more down the table, resting on face each in turn. In some, it finds a returning stare, in others, a shying away or even a flinch, and in one, no look at all.
"You will command the Eastern Front, Queen Urilong," the shadow says, resting on Fae last, watching with that one, pale eye. "When the horns blow, I go out alone, hunting."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A/N:
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Boromir ain't about it, fam. He definitely thinks the radioactive stone ghost monkey is a great thing that they should continue to use though. Can't go wrong with that.
