The Journey 20.

Autumn. Fanile. Terrindim.

"Yes my lord here it is" says able airman Orvick after he completes what lord Ganulf has dictated.
The lord of Highsun takes the parchment and reads it. After he does, he takes the feathered quill, dips it in the inkwell, and signs it.
The nobleman from the province of Hanamede in the north of the kingdom blows on his name to dry it, before he rolls up the parchment, and seals it with wax from the burner on the side of the desk.
He imprints his ring into the cooling wax, and after a few moments he slides the rolled up parchment in a metal tube made from an alloy of silver.
"A fine writing hand you've got airman" says lord Ganulf to Orvick, who replies with "Thank you my lord".
The lord of Highsun nods, then looks over at the bosun Cedric, who is standing with a wizard in the Balford faction.
"You know what to do Cedric?" asks lord Ganulf, who made the bosun his offsider this morning.
"Yes my lord" says bosun Cedric, who like Orvick, finds himself now on the staff of the nobleman who is the advisor to the prince.
Infact, they're his only staff, apart from those of his household in his residence in the northern quarter of the city.
"Get to it then" says the lord of the Highsun, who then dryly adds "You'll either get a yes or a no".
The bosun nods, then along with the wizard, make their way out of the office of the advisor to prince Waniq.
Able airman Orvick watches them leave, wondering if he's just written to someone who'll soon be dead.
Because lord Ganulf has just had him write a challenge to a duel, to a nobleman from the province of Garmaine. Who is in residence here in the capital Fanile.
"Come along then, we've got more to do" says the lord of Highsun.
The able airman with the club foot gets up from the desk he's been sitting behind, and he follows after the nobleman who is the advisor to the prince.
They're in the keep that's the headquarters of the Balford faction, here in the vast complex that's the Royal Palace of Terrindim. Which is essentially a city within a city.
They're less than a hundred yards from the walled inner palace, or what's referred to as the real palace.
As they walk down a hallway towards a set of stairs, the nobleman from the mountainous province of Hanamede, gestures for his new aide to walk alongside him.
"I'm guessing you're wondering why I've challenged sir Wassen?" quietly asks lord Ganulf.
"Yes my lord" quietly says the able airman who is just sixteen years old "He's not in the enemy faction" adds Orvick, who briefly pauses before adding "Nor is he in your family's faction".
"You're right" quietly says the lord of Highsun when they get to the stairs, and start heading down them.
"But he's a young hothead, who over the last couple of years has won a few duels" adds the prince's advisor, who continues in a dry tone with "More out of luck than anything else".
Lord Ganulf then says "But more importantly he's the younger brother of a certain lord Palmac, on whose lands in Garmaine are some of the largest shipbuilding yards in the entire kingdom. Where i might add, a lot of the Salmain fleet is built".
The nobleman who was previously in his family's faction, the Salmain faction, before he joined the Balford faction, continues on with "And if you didn't know already, lord Palmac happens to be the brother inlaw of my older sister Janna".
The lord of Highsun glances at the able airman, whose eyes go wide in understanding.
"Exactly" quietly says lord Ganulf, who follows that with "Though it's not discussed publicly, there's strong ties between the Salmain and Fornam factions".
Able airman Orvick shakes his head, then as they reach the bottom of the steps, and make their way across the antechamber on the ground floor of the keep, he quietly says "Weren't the Salmain and Fornam factions at war about six years ago?" followed by "I remember that when i was younger".
"They were indeed" quietly says lord Ganulf, who then adds "I commanded one of my family's fleet during it" he pauses for a moment as they walk towards one of the side chambers, then he says "It's one of the reasons why i left my family's faction. Because out of nowhere they sued for peace after thousands of our soldiers and airmen had been killed".
The lord of the city of Highsun shakes his head in disgust as he realises that faction war was just so that the Salmain faction could get better prices for airships to be built.
Lord Ganulf himself lost dozens of warships in the fleet he was in command of during that war. All because his older siblings and cousins, as well as his father. Didn't want to pay fair market prices for various airships that would be built on the lands of lord Palmac of the Fornam faction.
"I don't know how things stand with you young Orvick, but one's family aren't always to be trusted" quietly says lord Ganulf, who wouldn't usually divulge such information, but it's been a long day where he almost died this morning.
"It's just me and my mother my lord" says the able airman who is just sixteen years old "I have some uncles and cousins who are in the Balford faction, so that's why i decided to join when i was twelve" continues the former aide of admiral Halmack, who now finds himself the aide of probably the most divisive nobleman in all of Terrindim.
"Be glad you aren't in a family like mine" sourly says the advisor to the crown prince.
For it's not exactly a secret, that many in the family of lord Ganulf of Highsun, want him dead.
And rumour has it, that it's his father who wants him dead most of all.
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede, who has sympathy for his younger siblings and cousins.
As he knows they've been shut out of the decision making process of the Salmain faction. A faction that's dominated by his family.
Nevertheless he wants to see his family's faction, if not destroyed, then completely changed. So that his family is no longer the dominating force in the Salmain faction.
But the advisor to prince Waniq, also has to deal with the war that the Balford faction is in with the Golmard faction.
A war that this morning, took a turn for the worst for the Balford faction.
They enter the side chamber, where a number of people are at tables, going through reports that are coming up. Not just from the defeat of the third fleet up in the central province of Smalsare. But also the other actions taking place across the kingdom between the two warring factions.
The lord of Highsun, followed by his new aide, make their way over to a couch.
There sits the dragon rider Daeliss Komav, who has bathed, and is sitting there, with her head against the wall behind her, with her eyes closed.
Lord Ganulf doesn't know it, but behind him, his new aide Orvick's heart is racing as he sees the dragon rider he's secretly in love with, sitting there in repose, with her eyes closed.
The nobleman who is the advisor to the crown prince clears his throat when they get to the couch.
"I'm awake" says Daeliss Komav the dragon rider, who opens her eyes, and sees both lord Ganulf and able airman Orvick bow to her.
"Should we get going rider?" asks the nobleman who a little over three years ago was still in the Salmain faction, his family's faction.
"Of course" says the commonborn dragon rider who stands up and stretches, much to the delight of able airman who could watch Daeliss move like that all day.
The rider of the dragon Sunbeam, who is totally oblivious to the fact the young airman is madly in love with her, says "I saw that bosun, Cedric i think his name is" followed by "Running out of here with one of the wizards on duty".
"He's my new offsider" says lord Ganulf as they head for the doors that lead outside "I sent him with a challenge" adds the lord of Highsun.
The eyebrows of the rider Daeliss lift up in surprise as she and the tall nobleman, well just over six foot tall, is tall for a Terrindiam. Walk side by side as they're followed by able airman Orvick.
"So does this walking corpse have a name?" dryly asks the tall, lean, blonde haired dragon rider who is from the western province of Halvarc as they step outside into the late afternoon sunshine.
Lord Ganulf can't help but grin at that tone from the commonborn dragon rider, then he quietly says "A certain sir Wassen".
With a frown upon her beautiful face, Daeliss Komav says "I don't think i know who that is".
The lord of the city of Highsun informs the dragon rider who this sir Wassen is, and why he's challenged him.
After the nobleman from the mountainous province of Hanamede does so, the rider Daeliss slightly winces, then quietly says "Speaking of your family's faction, they've just officially declared a faction war against us".
Lord Ganulf grimaces, and the commonborn dragon rider tells him "Beam just told me as i was waiting for you" followed by "His highness is being informed of it right now".
The advisor to the prince nods as he looks away to the walled inner sanctum of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
Then he quietly says "We already knew when they turned up this morning" the lord of Highsun continues with "A formal declaration doesn't really mean that much" then he silently adds, besides I've been at war with them for the last three years or so.
They make their way to the large guardhouse on the side of the keep that's the headquarters of the Balford faction here in the vast palace complex that's located in the middle of the capital city, Fanile.
There, the advisor to the prince, after quickly checking his sword on his belt, asks one of the duty spellcasters, to either teleport or send him, his new aide, and the dragon rider somewhere by way of a rift.
A few moments later, and they appear on a roof of a building near the edge of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
Infront of them is one of the large parade grounds, and beyond that is the city proper.
Lord Ganulf points to a large residential building, well house really, just to the south of the vast palace complex.
"Are you in contact with Sunbeam?" quietly asks the advisor to the prince, the member of the royal family, who unofficially is the leader of the Balford faction.
"I am" says the rider Daeliss, whose dragon is on the staging grounds of the Balford fleet, on the eastern fringes of the city of Fanile, the capital of the kingdom of Terrindim.
The commonborn dragon rider who has been keeping in contact with Sunbeam throughout the afternoon. Finds the dragon's mind is no longer sleepy. And that he's wanting to know what's going on.
"What did you want exactly?" asks the rider Daeliss as she looks at the advisor to the prince.
"That house, it's sir Wassen's residence here in the city" says the lord of Highsun, the city in the province of Hanamede he's still the lord of. Even though he hasn't been there in a little over three years. And much to the disgust of the Salmain faction, in particular the prominent members of his family, he's still lord of the largest city in Hanamede.
"If he's in, Cedric should be there delivering my challenge" continues the nobleman from the north of the kingdom.
"If he accepts" says lord Ganulf, who after a moment's pause adds "Well".
Able airman Orvick frowns as he contemplates what the advisor to the prince is up to.
Then it dawns on the young airman what lord of the city of Highsun is wanting to do.
If a noble accepts a challenge to a duel. Then they can expect the duel to happen at anytime. Though by tradition, it's usually conducted at an agreed upon time and place. But there's no hard and fast law to say that you have to.
Figuring what the advisor to prince Waniq is up to, Daeliss Komav nods her head in understanding. And through the connection to Sunbeam's mind he's cast between them. The rider informs the dragon what's happening.
"Cedric and the duty wizard are there" says the commonborn dragon rider, who continues with "They're waiting for sir Wassen's reply, seems he's been out drinking today, and he and his companions are deciding what he should do".
"Can Sunbeam get us across there?" asks lord Ganulf, who then adds "Close, but out of sight?".
"Of course" says the dragon rider who is from the western province of Halvarc.
The next moment they're somewhere else. And able airman Orvick realises being teleported by a dragon, is a hell of a lot different than being teleported by another spellcaster.
To say it was quick and abrupt is an understatement in the extreme. It was faster than a blink of an eye, that Orvick finds himself standing with dragon rider Daeliss and lord Ganulf in a garden.
They move forward to glance around a hedge, and see a path leading up to the residence of the nobleman sir Wassen.
On the front porch stands a nervous looking Cedric, with the duty wizard from the Balford faction who brought him here.
Lord Ganulf's newly appointed offsider, is speaking with a servant of the residence. The lord of Highsun figures it's sir Wassen's majordomo.
While from the open door, a rather animated conversation can be heard.
A short time later, and sir Wassen himself walks outside. In the company of a couple of other nobles who are his close friends.
He's a young man, just twenty. Not as tall as say lord Ganulf, but sir Wassen is definitely a more solid individual.
The advisor to the prince faintly smiles as he sees sir Wassen is wearing a sword on his belt.
"Tell that stinking pussboil Ganulf i accept" says sir Wassen who throws the parchment with the challenge to duel on it at Cedric the bosun.
"That reputation of his is all shit in my opinion" states the nobleman from the province of Garmaine who has obviously been drinking, who continues with "I'll be doing the kingdom a favour since no one actually likes the prick".
"Well that last bit is true enough" murmurs lord Ganulf, who then steps out from behind the hedge, and makes his way along the path to the front of the house, followed by rider Daeliss and able airman Orvick.
"Draw your sword and let's do this then" says the lord of Highsun as he walks towards the front porch.
"Ganulf?" says sir Wassen who blinks in confusion as he wonders where the advisor to the crown prince came from.
"You accepted my challenge, now it's time to duel" states the nobleman from the mountainous province of Hanamede.
"This is not the time and place" stutters an indignant looking sir Wassen.
"That's tradition only, not law" says sir Ganulf, who continues with "What is law is if you refuse once you've accepted the challenge".
The lord of Highsun who knows the laws of dueling between nobles quite intimately, after all he's been in quite a lot of them, then adds "Is that your title is forfeit, and your lands and possessions are taken by the crown, to be used as they see fit".
Lord Ganulf after a brief pause adds "Your acceptance of the challenge has been witnessed, not just by my offsider, but by these others too".
He follows that with "So draw your sword, if not you're nothing but a coward, and everything you are, and everything you own will be stripped from you".
Sir Wassen looks at his noble friends, and from their pale looking faces, they know the lord of Highsun speaks the truth.
The nobleman from province of Garmaine knows he's been tricked, but seeing no way to get out of it. He roars in anger, draws his sword, and leaps off the porch.
Once on the path, he runs at the advisor to the crown prince. Sir Ganulf sourly smiles as he draws his own sword.
The nobility of Terrindim use rapier like blades. And sir Wassen swings his at the head of at the nobleman from the province of Hanamede.
Lord Ganulf deftly parry's away his opponent's sword. And with a flick of his right wrist, he straightens his own blade and thrusts.
The lord of Highsun turns and walks away, while sir Wassen drops his sword, falls to his knees. Clutching at his throat that's splurting blood everywhere.
Able airman Orvick realises he's just witnessed a murder. Or the closest thing to it. As the advisor to the prince goaded sir Wassen to his death.
"That's the first one" quietly says lord Ganulf to the rider Daeliss and the young airman Orvick.
Seeing the look upon the face of his new aide, the lord of Highsun quietly tells him "Remember what i said this morning airman?".
Orvick shakes his head as he tries to remember, and lord Ganulf quietly tells him "It's the little victories that count" followed by "And this is one of them" . . . . . .