Several hours had passed since Dalmar had any visitors, and during those times he went over the exchange with Dorian and his men in his mind like the soft hands of a baker kneading dough. It wasn't enough anymore to simply pace in his small cell, and the insect-like restlessness of the adventurer began to swell through his body like the ebbing tide of a great shore. Startled by a small bird that landed for a moment on the bars at the top of the cell, Dalmar peered upwards as the small finch carelessly dropped its treasure through the bars and onto the floor of the cold dungeon floor. Finding its search forsaken, the tiny bird dropped into the hole and flew into the room to retrieve the small, wriggling worm lying on the ground. Dalmar's heart leaped slightly as he caught this spectacle, and he smiled and admired the determination of the tiny avian to brave the unknown in order to bring its meal back to the land of the living. Dalmar marveled at the small bird who quickly swallowed the worm and then hopped about his oubliette of sorts picking at the small bits of chaff that was scattered about the damp ground. Dalmar smiled again and watched the bird test each tiny seedling with its small, yet strong beak. "Take your fill, buddy" Dalmar said softly as he watched. "They certainly aren't doing me any good." he continued. Then at once, the bird leaped again into the air as the sounds of the iron ring on the outside of he door began with a jingle and a loud ringing. Dalmar's attention, too, was taken away from the small scene of his tiny guest, and his eyes fell upon the door to the cell once again as it swung open to reveal Dorian and his men once again. As Dalmar put his foot onto the ground to stand up, two bear-wrapped men crossed quickly over to Dalmar and lifted him to his feet with particular disregard for his own ability to stand and walk.
"Well, Zeke..." Dorian addressed Dalmar. "It appears the gods have smiled on you once again. Polias will see you now. Up you go. Come with us." Dorian's cohorts pulled Dalmar's body forward through the door, Dorian walking behind him in silence with yet another man of apparent purpose to Dorian and the king. The sounds of the dungeon began to disappear behind him as he stumbled upwards along the stone staircase into the light of the upper keep. The noises of the fortress, again, became evident and soon he as his guides appeared on a large, flat flooring as the eyes of the visitors to the keep all fell upon Dalmar as he was dragged through the keep. Dalmar's eyes glanced across a large coat of arms hanging on the stone walls of castle and across the accusing stares and whispers of the onlookers. He could only imagine the disdain and assumptions Polias' guests had for him, and he knew instantly that each one of them thought him to be a traitor or criminal of some sort. Still, he did not struggle and patiently he walked along with the four men down the long hallway around the grand wall and staircase that lead upwards through the keep. Finally after a few moment, the men paused at a grand double door ornately decorated with gold and silver wire in the shape of Polias' Eagle of Illdriss and tapestries of blue and white silk thread waving in the drafts of the castle. Dorian stood forward and pushed the doors ajar as Dalmar was brought forward into the large room beyond.
Dalmar stumbled once again as he stepped into the large open room between a set of columns equidistantly spaced along the polished floor of deep sienna colored flooring. Large stone pyres of incense and flame warmed the room and gave a sweet smell of wealth and aristocracy, bearing the weight of the watching eyes of Polias' guests in their fine silks and linens as they passed initial judgment upon this common looking fellow being ushered forward to address the king. Dalmar's eyes skirted up the center of the throne room to the raised area at the end where several regal individuals stood around the Polias staring down at Dalmar with a welcomed set of unassuming eyes. Polias was a man of about seventy years and a well trimmed beard. His fine blue velvet cloak draped heavily about his body and complemented his shining gold circlet about his head. Dalmar again scanned the room as a hush came over the room, and the men stopped Dalmar's progress and stepped to the side. Polias, distracted from his course, handed a glittering blade to one of his courtiers, and he turned towards Dalmar. Polias then stepped lightly down the set of steps before his throne and approached Dalmar calmly. "Dorian? What is this that you bring before me today?" Polias said as he smiled at Dalmar and nodded towards Dorian.
"My lord, I present to you Zeke, the man who was discovered in the forests with the body of one of our men in his cart." Dorian answered as he bowed his head.
"Ahh! Of course! Zeke. He looks harmless enough. Bring him something to eat." Polias clapped his hands loudly and a shuffling of feet echoed through the hall. Polias' eyes once again climbed over Dalmar's person like the slithering of serpents climbing a tree together in unison. "Dorian tells me that you've had quite an adventure these past few days, Zeke. You are fortunate to have escaped with your life by the sounds of it. Tell me, Zeke, in your own words, tell us the tale of Zeke in the desert and the arena of...Sarat was it?" Polias directed his smile and offering of tale to his guests with a simple turn of his head to the room of onlookers. Dalmar, slightly annoyed at the demeanor of his host, raised an eyebrow and looked around the room.
"Well..." began Dalmar. "It was several days ago that I and my friend, Lanthis, came into your kingdom, sir. Having been given passage into Altendon to supply ourselves for our journey onward to Irongard when we we met a bit of a brawl in one of the taverns here in the city. When I woke up, I was in a cell. I later found out that the place where I woke was far outside the walls of Altendon. that's where I met Sa'Vahn, and together we were able to overcome our captors. But to our dismay, escaping our own cells was just the beginning as we had to fight our way through Sarat's other captives in his arena. We both made it, and I have to assume, that because we survived the tiral, they let us go. I really have no other way to explain it, sir." Dalmar paused for a momentary approval and to see the reaction of the king and his courtiers. Dalmar hoped that his story would at the very least be somewhat entertaining to the king and the people. Polias smiled at Dalmar as he took a goblet of wine from a young girl.
"Continue..." Polias said before he sipped at the wine and walked around Dalmar with an arm behind his own back.
"As we ran outside the gates of the arena, we saw the great desert before us and realized that our fortune was not as laced with finery as originally thought; our escape would not be complete unless we passed through the desert. We followed the cart path for two days until we came to the mountains where we came across a small building built on the side of a mountain. There, we ran across more of Sarat's men. But we knew we couldn't make it all the way back to Altendon unless we gained some sort of provision. We also knew that Sarat's men weren't going to give it to us out of the kindness of their own hearts, so we waited. The next morning, we entered the post where we confronted the men. However, in my own follow, I was knocked off-balance and Sa'Vahn fell to the blade of one of the men inside the station. After, I took Sa'Vahn's body in the cart and returned to Altendon where your captain found us. The rest of the story ends in your dungeon, sir." Dalmar once again looked at Polias who had completed his circle around Dalmar's body, sipped on his wine again with a contemplative sort of stance, and turned towards Dalmar.
"How many days did it take you to reach our gates, Zeke?" Polias asked inquisitively.
"Five days, sir." Dalmar declared without hesitation.
"Five days? And you say that in one day's time you were attacked and then woke up in the desert? My dear, Zeke, you realize the folly you've presented there, don't you?" Polias smiled at his clever discovery and looked for his own approval from his onlookers. A small array of muffled chuckles and laughs shot through the room as Polias smile at his guests. "I'm afraid that doesn't really make much sense. How do you explain this?" Polias beckoned of Dalmar.
"My lord, I don't attempt to explain this. But I do know this to be true: My comrade, Lanthis and I, were poisoned in that ambush in the tavern. I also know that in this world there are things that exist that do not always depend upon reason to be true. But I swear that the tale that I tell is as true as the sun is bright." Dalmar professed to the king and lowered his gaze in hopes to gain some sort of momentary appeasement. Dalmar's head was raised by the open hand of Polias who stared deeply into his own eyes. The king's green eyes pierced his mind, and felt as if the king thrust a spear into his soul. Dalmar shivered as Polias backed away from Dalmar and took another sip of his wine.
"Zeke, it is true that Altendon and the areas that surround it are anything but perfect. We, here, work very hard to preserve what peace and prosperity we can muster from day to day and age to age. I, like you, also know that mere logic can't always explain everything, but it explains a great many things. For several generations, I and my family have sought to provide refuge from the harshnesses of the world with these walls and the hearts of the men who aid us in our efforts. Sa'Vahn was a friend to us all. As his memory shall be honored in our stories and he shall surely be missed. In as much, I don't think you are lying to me, though there is something in you that is not in the order of things - I am sure of that. And it is that thing that I do not trust. Still, your story does, indeed, have the ring of truth." Polias paused and put his hand on Dalmar's shoulder, patting it with a genuine sort of friendliness as he smiled. Dalmar relaxed and smiled back at the king who turned to address the entirety of the congregation.
"Thank you, my lord." Dalmar said respectively.
"I hereby declare this man to be free!" Polias shouted to the onlookers. Polias turned towards Dalmar again. "But this is dependent upon your cooperation and assistance for it is up to the good people of the world to seek out and smite the evils of the world so that the meek shall like together with the strong in peace. Should you prove to be anything but honorable and willing to abide by this simple idea, you will never see the outside of a dungeon wall again." Polias patted Dalmar on his back once again as he ushered the company of his food and wine to Dalmar. Dalmar looked around the room, pausing momentarily to look at Dorian who smiled as well. This time, Dorian smile not as an interrogator, but rather as a simple man. Dalmar's thought for a moment that perhaps Dorian was, indeed, an honest man if not a hard man. Dalmar's stomach came alive once again with the aroma of the sweet wine and the even sweeter fruits before him. While attempting to be polite, Dalmar could not help himself and soon finished an entire platter of swine and apples.
It was there within the court of Polias that Dalmar witnessed the day-to-day activites of the king. He melded into the body of witnesses, guest, and miscellaneous wards and courtiers. Dalmar felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders, as if the storm clouds had parted and reveal the glorious light of the goddess upon him once more. During the course of the day, Dalmar was given proper refuge within the confines of the keep. His clothes and items were cleaned and cared for, and he himself was able to, finally, bathe in peace and comfort. No longer was he hoisted upon his toes by the guards that lined the inner areas of the keep, but rather he passed freely in most areas as he saw fit. His duty was not done, though. As Polias had shown him kindness and trusted in him, so shall he honor his word and duty to repay Polias' kindnesses. It didn't matter if he started his days in the dungeon. Dalmar rationalized that Polias did not dictate his initial conditions under which he was kept. But Dalmar was intent upon reaching his goals. First, Dalmar knew that he had to find Sh'lzzt. This was certain. Second, he had to find the gifts of the goddess, the two daggers. He was certain that he would find them as they worked their way through the men and holdings of Sarat whether in the desert or in the confines of Altendon. Third, he and Sh'lzzt would leave this strange place, and once again return to the lands surrounding Irongard and Balder. But first, he had a job to do, a duty to uphold to the people and king of Altendon. He would keep this promise, and who knows? Further advantages could yet reveal themselves, right? At the end of the day, Dalmar laid back upon his bedding and thought of the days ahead. Tomorrow, he would rise and begin his adventures with Polias' men. He would begin the quest to set wrong to right. He would seek to restore balance within his own life if not for some of the people in Altendon. But for now, Dalmar sought only rest. His belly full of sweetmeats and wine, his thoughts distracted by his own relaxation, Dalmar fell asleep for another day.
Invino Veritas
12/24/11
EOF
No comments:
Post a Comment