The Winter Queen of Havenshire

Chapter 10: THE QUEST UNVEILED

"Odo's death means nothing to this quest," Lord Fonce said.

Captain Tearlach fought to hold back his laughter.

"Captain Tearlach, it is time for you to go."

Like a scolded child, he made his way to the where they had entered.

"Oh, and Tearlach, give me the man's sword that he craves so much."

"I only live to carry out your commands."

He unsheathed the blade, bowed and handed it to Lord Fonce before leaving.

"He is an ambitious man," Lord Fonce said as he looked at the blade. The balance was perfect. "Some things are best unheard by ambitious men. Don't you agree, General Thrushbeard?"

"As always, you are right, my Lord. Especially those of Captain Tearlach's quality."

Lord Fonce walked over to Odo's body. "Odo always found a way of surviving, no matter whose life it cost. I could not have him killing the very people I need to succeed in this quest.

"Not that I care, but what did you do to him?" Corban asked.

"The same thing I did to you, my traveling swordsman. I know who you are. You go by Corban Steele now, my slayer of tyrants."

Corban nodded.

"Poisons are an interest of mine. Months ago, I gave him a new poison. It acts slowly. Minor aches followed by greater pains. Sickness than eventually after five or six months a painful death. The wine made it five. Do you like it?"

The seven champions remained quiet.

"How?" Jay asked.

"The food," Corban answered. "Probably, the drinks too." Like the twins, Corban had refused the wine. Lord Fonce needed to make sure all were compliant.

"You do have a mind for tactics, Corban Steele."

Lord Fonce sat at the table. He grabbed an apple and took a bite. He chewed it slowly, swallowed, and then smiled.

"I do have the cure. It's simple really, fulfill the quest. Gain the cure. Gain your freedom. Receive treasures that will allow you to fulfill whatever you have dreamed in your heads. Fail, and you die."

"What is it that you want us to do?" Corban asked.

He expected the Hammer to say something by now, but he looked like he had been betrayed by a trusted friend. Things like that took time to digest. Time they obviously no longer have much of.

"A week ago, my only daughter and the daughter of Feroce the woman behind me was taken. Ambrosia is precious to me. She is worth all the lives in this room and more. No one takes from me that which is mine. I need you to find her. Save her. Bring her back to me alive and if not kill all those who took her from me."

"If you had asked, I would have done this freely," the Hammer said. "I am her chosen champion. I would give my life for hers."

Most of the others nodded in agreement. Even amongst most killers, there was a code. The innocent must be kept innocent as long as possible. Ambrosia was an innocent.

"This is the type of job I would have agreed to as well," Corban said.

"She is my daughter. I could not take the chance. I needed the best, and you are the best. There are no finer in battle. You must save Ambrosia and quickly before the ransom is paid. My finest general, Thrushbeard Cole, will lead you."

Lord Fonce rose to his feet. He handed the sword to Corban. "It is a good blade. You will need it on this quest. Do not lose it again. I may not so easily part with it again."

Lord Fonce left the courtyard, but the Lady Feroce and the guards remained.

"So who took Ambrosia?" Corban asked.

"The Winter Queen and her soldiers of stone came south and stole her by day," General Thrushbeard answered.

"She is but a legend," Ferine said.

"I don't deal in legend," Corban said. "Who is she?"

"She is a story, a legend told to children to make them obey and stay out of trouble," Ferine said.

"The story goes that she was born of ice and stone," the Hammer added. "She once ruled the North with an iron hand. Her stone soldiers kept all in line. A king from the South claimed her lands and banished her to the icy regions. They say she comes in the dead of winter and finds those whose heart are cold as ice and hard as stone. She takes them to her kingdom and turns them into her stone soldiers. When her army is strong enough, she will come down south and reclaim her lands."

"That's a story," Corban said. "This person is real."

"I agree, but someone has taken her mantle and gathered a following," General Thrushbeard said. "They need gold to build an army and gold is what they have asked for. Lord Fonce has until the first day of spring to raise it. If he fails, she will die, and the Winter Queen will march south with her soldiers of stone to declare war."

"So we have five months," the Hammer said. "With the help of Lord Fonce's army and his Cadre, we should be able to find her in plenty of time."

"Things are not that simple," General Thrushbeard said. "We do this alone, and we will be hunted by Lord Fonce for this."

"If anyone found out that Lord Fonce has a weakness, they could strike at any time," Corban said. "He won't allow it. We're the only ones that know the truth. Therefore we are the liabilities. Failure means death no matter what."

"I will be there alongside of you. I will fight by your side. If I must, I will die with you."

"Dead is dead," Rojier said. "What does it matter if you die alongside with us or not."

Rojier walked away. He leaned against a courtyard wall. His head drooped down in disappointment.

"You have the freedom of the keep," Thrushbeard said. "Try to escape and your life is forfeit. I'll come back in a bit to take you to the armory. You will have your choice of anything you want."

Thrushbeard walked to Feroce. Corban silently followed. Something was not right. The two exited the courtyard.

He followed them through the entrance. They kept walking and stopped in a dark corner. Corban did his best to blend in to the shadows.

"Cole, you must save her," Feroce said.

"On my honor and my love for her and you, I swear to keep her safe at all cost."

"Then you can never come back."

"Lord Fonce would never permit it."

"I know he loves her, but she is his sole weakness. Weakness cannot be permitted. He will kill her if she returns."

"Feroce, I am sworn to..."

"To protect you family no matter what the cost. I am already dead. Let my daughter live. Keep her free."

Corban felt a breath behind him. Not again.

General Thrushbeard turned to face Corban.

"My dear Captain, I truly wish that you would have had the opportunity to choose what you needed for this mission. Your opinion would have been valuable. But I need you silent until we leave. So to the dungeon you must go."

The guard behind him hit him. The blackness swallowed him whole.