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| Fintan_de_Marin
Posts: 1,511 Status: Duke Karma: +250 [+1] [-1]   |
Subject: The First Ride | |||||
| "The Clan MirFeroin has pledged their swords to aidin' us." Robert called as he approached Fintan. Fintan was on a hill over looking an old village. The village was just outside the Dark Forest. Brochs dotted the village. Shabby stone walls, to the height of a man's waist, surrounded the city. A pair of long stone houses with stretched out leather roofs were in the center of the village. Two towers that had vines growing over them formed the gate of the village. "What on earth are we doin' here, Fintan?" Robert asked with a risen brow. Fintan leaned forward in his saddle. "This is the village of Houteen." He said simply. Robert blinked in shock. "THIS is Houteen? I thought it'd be grander. Gold linin' the streets, silver plated houses...not this." A clanking sound came from behind the pair. Edward and Minarebe approached, each one smiling. "The Clan Oichanile are with us!" Edward called as if he had won a major victory. "And so are the Dwarfs of Aldara" Added Minarebe. When the two arrived beside the other two they rose a brow and said at the same time "What is that dump?" "Houteen" The other two said together. Edward looked stunned. Minarebe however looked confused. "Houteen, my dear Minarebe, is the home of the old warriors." Fintan explained. "Westland was not always full of incompetent, arrogant, prideful, ignorant, wimps who can no more swing a blade than they can do simple math. It became that way as the older warriors grew tired of fighting and testing each other. Our countries once respected each other greatly. It was not until they started leaving one by one to seek out true adventure did these new warriors show up and begin to call themselves as such. When the true Westlanders returned they were appalled and either left again, or they moved here to set up this little village. They are the only true warriors here I could trust. I mean to ask them to join our cause if it should come to it." "Do ya really think they will Fintan?" Robert asked looking up at Rogue. "There is only one way to know Rob..." Fintan clicked his tongue and started down towards the little village. The other three followed behind him. As he entered under the walk way above the gate, Fintan could feel a presence near by, though was unable to make out what it was. He dismounted his horse and looked around. A group of women who were outside weaving baskets looked up as Fintan and the others walked down the simple dirt road towards the two long stone buildings. Fintan assumed one of them would be the hall of the local chief or ruler, as it turns out one was the armory, the other a tavern. This made Fintan sigh and walk back towards the basket weavers. "Dear ladies, I am Fintan de Marin. I search for the one who speaks for the village. Can you tell me where I may find him?" One of the women just shook her head and went back to work. The other sighed softly. "He will not see you. He wants nothing to do with any warrior on a quest." She had a soft but commanding voice that was just slightly hoarse. "Mi'lady, I am not a 'warrior'. I am a soldier of Arelia...." She cut him off before he could fully introduce himself. "That will be a different mater. He's in the Drunken Rabbit." She pointed to the tavern. Fintan turned around to see it, but looking behind him he saw on the hill a hundred or so men with muskets in black. Roundheads. Minarebe growled and drew two axes off his side. "What are those....more soldiers?" asked the weaver as she saw them starting to march down the hill towards the village. "In a sense, Mi'lady....they are enemies of the Arelian Crown." Fintan pulled his only pistol as the Highlander did the same, and the elf knight pulled his cross bow off of his back. "Then they're our enemies. Sasha, ring the bell." The woman said to her companion who ran off to the center of town. Soon, the entire village had the ringing of a bell sounding through it. The woman went in to the broch she was working outside of and came out with a bow and quiver of arrows on her back. She ran up to the bell, which was in a large clear spot, and took to standing in a spot. The little clearly was soon filled with about thirty people. Swordsmen, archers, and what looked like one or two mages. One very strong looking warrior walked out of the tavern in beautiful armor. "Impressive..." Minarebe muttered as he watched the little army assemble. "Who rang that bell and for what reason?!" The man shouted as he looked up and down the ranks. The woman who was called Sasha stepped forward. "And why did you do that Sash?" "Them." She pointed towards the group of musketeers approaching. "That's a good reason..." "They're here for us, most likely, Mi'lord." Fintan announced. "We shall go and face them so you need not shed blood." "Criminals?" The man asked with a risen brow. "Arelian Royalists" "I see...and you are?" "Lord Governor, Fintan de Marin." Upon his name there were whispers of shock and disbelief through the crowd. "An honor to meet you, Your Grace. I am Gortrin. Word has traveled through the villages that there are four Arelians seeking Westland allies. Promising peace with the clans if they aid the Royalists. Before these pathetic, whish-they-could-be, warriors took over this country we had a true camaraderie with the Arelians. I'll be damned if they'll take you three prisoners...TAKE POSITIONS TO DEFEND!" The small army ran to the wall. The swordsmen put their shields up over the wall to extend it as the archers took places behind them, ready to loose. Fintan swung back up on to Maria and joined them with his three companions at his side. Edward positioned himself between two shields with his cross bow aimed, waiting for the order. Robert did the same with his pistols, though aimed them through the cracks of the shields. No one gave an order to fire ye. They would not be the first to fire and break an already uneasy peace if they could help it. The Roundheads blinked in shock. That was something they had not expected. The commander of the group called out to the Houteenians. "You have with you, four men. Four men who are enemies of the Arelian People. Give them up to us, and you need not become involved in this affair!" "They are Arelian Royalists. They are the best friends the Arelian people have! It is you fools who are the enemies! Surrender, and we shall not kill you all where you stand!" Gortrin yelled back. Fintan laughed softly, apparently, the Westlanders always had pride. Atleast these though could back it. The Roundheads were stunned. One of them got too cocky and fired, aiming at Fintan. Maria however was not a battle horse, and reared at the crack in the distance. The moment she reared, it struck her. Fintan fell off as Maria fell to the ground. He rushed too her, stroking her mane as her breathing became shallow from the pain. By luck, it missed her heart and vital organs. If she could get attention, she would be fine. An acolyte ran out and attended to the wound quickly. "Care for her...she is important to me." He begged the man. Fintan rushed over to the shield wall and took a spot beside Robert, aiming his pistol through the crack between two. "FIRE!" Gortrin shouted. All twelve archers loosed their bows. The swordsmen shuddered when the pistols went off, being even louder under the metal shell. Atleast seven Roundheads fell from the hail of arrows and lead. The two pistoliers dropped their weapons and drew their swords, as Edward did with his own, putting his shield in place with the others. The rifles of the roundheads cracked in the distance. The shield wall fell backwards slightly from the force as the bullets dented the shields. The Roundhead commander called back. "We give you another chance, surrender the four Royalists!" "What is their crime?" Gortrin called back. "Treason against the people of Arelia, by supporting a warmongering wh*** of a queen!" "Are you sure you aren't the traitor?!" The Westland warriors snickered, as did the three emissaries. Fintan however froze, gripping his sword tighter. Boudicca was one of the dearest people in his life. The two had been closer than he was with anyone else. He burst out of the shield wall and made a lone charge, blinded by anger. The roundheads reloaded before he was half way across the field laughing. Right as they leveled, a shadowy shield appeared infront of Fintan as he held up his hand and stopped just as they fired. The musket balls peppered the trees behind the Commonwealth army. Being of the beliefs they were, this both angered and frightened the Roundheads. They took Fintan for a dark wizard and were now determined to have his head. However, by the time they reloaded Fintan had reached their ranks and took the head off of the commander before he saw the sword coming. Knowing at this range it was just a waste of ammunition they fixed bayonets and prepared to skewer Fintan. "COVER HIM!!" Robert cried glaring at the Westlanders. "If we do that, we'll hit him." Gortrin replied. "Prepare the charge." They broke rank and leapt over the wall, charging the Roundheads." Fintan came to his senses right when he was face to face with over ninety bayonets. At his best, he could take ten before he was killed. He was about to throw down his sword in both surrender and shame for charging like a new recruit. However, as his grip on his blade loosened, a majestic roar came from over the trees, making the Westlanders halt, and the Roundheads to look behind them. A large silver dragon landed behind the Arelians, and sent a massive blast of fire in to the air in warning. The musketeers were frozen to the spot with fear. "...You win Twili" Smirked the highwayman as he ran his sword through the nearest Roundhead and sliced the chest of another as it turned. The dragon leapt in to the sky again and circle around, coming down low and pulling Fintan on to the base of it's neck. The dragon stood firmly, putting himself and Fintan as high as possible. The Roundheads dropped their muskets, not daring to even try to fight a dragon. "GO!" Fintan yelled from eighteen feet up. "Return to Arelia, and let it be known that Queen Keeva le Gurie WILL have her kingdom, and that Camdules will face the axe! AVALON SAVE THE QUEEN!" From their place down field, Edward, Minarebe, and Robert yelled the same just after Fintan did. "Now go." Fintan commanded just as the dragon let out a blast of fire at their feet. The Roundheads turned around and started running away. Fintan laughed and nudged the dragon. "Lets make sure they run back to port." He whispered. The dragon took in to the clear sky and chased after them, blasting the occasional fire ball behind them to make sure they did not stop. |
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