Quarely Mettlelin was walking through the open air ramparts of his castle home in Vinedenne, his long light blue hair swaying behind him in the wind. Beside him walked his close friend and advisor Ferherlyn, the aging mage the only one a lord such as Quarely could truly trust. Both of the men were enjoying the warming weather that accompanied the beginning spring. With the rising sun bringing with it actual warmth it allowed them to enjoy these walks throughout the castle and its grounds in the morning. Today it was quite beautiful with a wide open sky of deep blue with birdsong carried on the wind.
The topic of conversation at the moment was not nearly as comforting however. It entailed the war they were currently in with their northern neighbor of Pheoa. This was of critical importance to Quarely as the province he oversaw shared a direct boarder with their enemy. It was his people that were at highest risk of becoming victims of this war. As their lord it fell upon him to ease their fears and suffering. This was a duty he took extremely serious and his performance in the matter was always a cause of stress to his mind.
He had always had his advisors to rely on in times such as these and his good friend Ferherlyn being here was of great comfort. There was also an actual goddess around now who herself took total responsibility for not only his constituents but he himself. With such an all powerful being in control one might think Quarely would have no stress at all. However knowing what he knew about their goddess he in fact wondered if she was the greater source of stress herself. He trusted Goddess Jenna of course, but her methods were alien to him and he always feared for the far reaching implications of them.
Ferherlyn had spent a great deal of time with the goddess himself. This had allowed him to learn a great deal about her mannerisms and the world she had come from before. Due to this he was much more confident in Jenna's ability to end this war without causing horrific scenes of mass death like goddesses of the past had done. This is not excluding the terrible atrocities humans themselves could commit during times of war. But again with a goddess in charge such nightmares were sure to be restrained and that too brought peace to the mage's heart.
Goddess Jenna however remained nothing if not unpredictable. In fact the only thing one could predict about her actions would be that they would be inexplicable and wholly motivated by her desire for justice. So far she had stopped the first attack by raining fire from heaven to incinerate her enemies, then on the very next battlefield defeated an entire army without a single casualty.
Now only a day before she had self inserted herself into the mission to capture the town of Lindenburg on the boarder of Celeduun and Pheoa. Such a sight it was to see an army march into battle with an immense goddess towering overhead. Such would have been a sight of ancient times. Thought not much of a battle had been held according to the reports. From the goddess's own report the town had been completely taken over without a single death.
What had surprised both Quarely and Ferherlyn the most however was that she had taken personal control over the town. She claimed Lindenburg as her own fief to rule by her own set of laws. This was a great experiment she so claimed with her proud grinning face. Not that anyone could question or combat a literal goddess on such a matter even if there had been disagreements. Honestly it was highly interesting and had brought up many a further question on her motivations and plans. This is what the two men were conversing about now.
“Still the very thought of it!” Quarely exclaimed as he continued walking. “This is the first human settlement to be directly overseen by a goddess since their disappearance all those centuries ago!” He turned to look out over the ramparts. “What dangers are there really? I know our goddess is caring, but she is also so unpredictable.” He then looked to the ground and shook his head with a sigh. “I just worry for the people living in that town. For their well being.”
Ferherlyn let out a small chuckle, his hands hidden inside the long sleeves of his robe.
“Oh I know our goddess better than most men my lord. If she remains true to her personality so far than being ruled directly by her will have been the best thing to happen to that town in hundreds of years.” He turned to look at Quarely. “Lest you forget that Lindenburg has been a den of black hearted men for over two centuries. Ever since diplomacy between our two kingdoms reached a bitter impasse.”
Quarely stopped his walking and went to the short wall on the edge of the walkway. He placed his hands on the cold stone and looked to the sky, a deep sigh escaping from his chest.
“I know my friend.” He said without looking at the mage who stopped beside him. “That town was a blemish that had festered for many a year with the excess wickedness of our two kingdoms combined. The direct result of the unhealed wound of relations that went to rot like the untreated wound of the boarder between the lands.” He then looked down at the stone wall. “It would have needed dealing with eventually regardless. It is true.”
Ferherlyn slipped his right hand out of his robes and placed it comfortingly on his friend's left shoulder.
“So you see my lord this is a wonderful turn of events. And if you were to take the purely pragmatic view we can now wash our hands of that town. It's in the goddess's hands now and is no longer a burden to trouble our sleep.”
Quarely sighed once again, this time one of defeat. “Yes my old friend. What you speak is true enough. I suppose this could actually be seen as exciting to a certain-”
His sentence was cut short by the appearance of one of the castle knights who came in a great hysteria. The young man was in his twenties and was dressed in the full half-mail of the castle guard which explained the exhaustion he was inflicted with as well. He shouted his lord's name between gasping breaths.
“Lord Quarely! Of thank the heaven there you are!”
Both Quarely and Ferherlyn turned to face the man with confusion and surprise on their faces, though the mage was more curious than anything. As they turned the knight finished running to them and half collapsed after finally stopping.
Quarely stood with his hands to his sides and shoulders squared, his lord's stature returning with the apperance of trouble.
“For heaven's sake son stop and take a breath! Whatever the news can be said after you keep yourself from passing out!”
The young knight took a knee and began panting heavily. “Y-Yes s-ir.” He gasped.
He had clearly been running for several minutes in his half plate which explained his current state. Whatever news he was bringing was serious enough for him to go to these lengths. What the lord of the castle didn't know is this young man was simply the faster runner. No sooner had this knight stopped to recover another knight appeared running down the hall from around the corner. This one a bit older and thus much slower. He was also shouting for his lord.
Quarely responded to this newcomer with more of a cross manner.
“Yes sir I hear you! Stop and catch yourself before I have two men laid out on the floor!” He then looked down at the first man. “Now tell me what is this about?”
The young knight grunted with exertion as he pushed himself up to standing position again and saluted. His wide eyes looking to the sky as his companion came up behind him.
“L-Lord Quarely! A monster has appeared at the castle gate!” He stammered.
Quarely's eyes went wide in surprise. “A monster?”
The knight nodded and panted a bit more as the older man stumbled behind him.
“Yes my lord!” The young man said. “H-He claims to be in the employ of the goddess and demands to speak with you!”
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Ferherlyn lifted his right hand to his chin and stroked his beard.
“What manner of monster was this my boy?”
The older knight had recovered enough to speak himself and stood to salute. He then answered himself.
“It's some kind of knight my lord.” His eyes then darted to the side. “Though ghastly...”
Once again the younger man spoke up in his excitement and fear. Now he was losing his composure.
“Oh its terrible! He's clearly dead! Such a horrible sight... And his head! I-I-”
Quarely waved his right hand in the air and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Enough. I have my head mage here with me. I shall go and investigate this matter. A dead knight is certainly not the strangest of servants Goddess Jenna enlists.” He then turned to Ferherlyn and nodded. “Come.”
Ferherlyn gave a quick bow. “Yes my lord. Of course.”
Quarely then gave a sharp look to the two knights as he started striding away.
“You two stay here and get some rest. Collect yourselves and make a full report to your cabin master.”
The two men answered in unison with another salute. “Yes sir!”
Both Quarely and Ferherlyn walked with haste through the castle in relative silence. The whole place was already abuzz with the news of such a terrible creature appearing and demanding to speak to the lord of the province. The goddess's affiliation with such a monster was also something of great note to the nobility and servants the two swept by. Her having such servants alongside humans was sometimes seen as a good inclusive things and other times as a terrible omen for a dark future.
Quarely himself cared little for who Goddess Jenna called her servant. He himself judged those he met on their own merits and this supposed monster had so far been completely peaceful. There was no cry of attack and simply having some demanding to speak to him was hardly a new occurrence. The goddess herself was often called monstrous so this knight could truly be anything. It would be revealed soon however.
It took several minutes for the two men to make it all the way down through the interior of the castle to the front gate. They had to pass through the main fortress, down a side stairwell, out into the yard, and across it to the gatehouse. Along the way they gathered behind them a total entourage of nobility, servants, and guards alike. Almost a hundred people were behind the lord and mage as they arrived at the gatehouse proper. The murmuring was audible but came to an abrupt halt as the wall of knights blocking the gateway were close enough to speak to.
One of the armored men, the captain of the guard, turned and jogged to meet Quarely when he noticed his lord.
“Lord Quarely!”
Quarely had his arms at his sides and nodded to the man.
“Please give your report sir.”
The captain gave a quick bow and then stood up with a salute.
“My lord what appears to be an armored knight has appeared demanding to speak to you on official business. He is clearly an undead abomination and both he and his horse and skeletal nightmares.” Then man then gulped. “And his head. Well I'm not sure how to describe it.”
“Has this knight made any violent gestures?” Quarely asked.
“No sir.” The captain replied with a shake of his head. “He has been docile, though he has done a fair bit of intimidating.”
With this reply Quarely waved his right hand to dismiss the man.
“Very well. If he claims to be in league with the goddess we shall find out soon enough. If he makes a move a prayer to her will end it.”
After making this proclamation Quarely stepped forward with Ferherlyn following behind. As he did so the line of knights and guards parted to allow their lord through, though four of them stayed in close proximity to protect their liege. Thus with the defense parted everyone, including the crowed who stood behind, could see this servant of the goddess in full.
Standing betwixt the walls of the gatehouse was something that could only be described as a monster indeed. Even the normally stalwart Quarely was taken aback by the sheer horrific visage that he beheld. There clattering its hooves was a full grown stallion that was more bone than skin. Its matted mustard hide was rotten and thin, barely covering the rotten innards that clung in small meaty chunks to the moldy bones. Its rotting eyes were filled with red fire and its breath expelled thick black smoke. On its flanks hung the ornate decorations of its saddle which was clearly one of a well traveled knight.
On the back of this nightmare creature was an equally nightmarish rider. There sat a man clad in the full plate of a banner knight, the patches of rust contrasting with the otherwise polished steel. This man was in a similar state as his steed with his body more easily described as a corpse barely clinging to its skeletal remains. Flowing from the shoulders of this knight was a long black cape embroidered with a bear that fluttered in the wind. It was what could be seen above these shoulders that caused the greatest pangs of fear however.
There was no head on what was left of this man. No instead there was the stump of a neck that had clearly been savagely ripped apart. This rider did have a head however, a mere skull though it may be. It was peculiar as well which conflicted the emotions of terror in those that looked upon it, though terror was inflicted upon those that viewed it. Yes it was a decapitated skull with its eyes and skin long rotted away, stuffed somehow into a perfectly preserved pumpkin and held aloft in the rider's right hand. The entire ensemble was also engulfed in eerie blue flames.
From the rotted skull a deep and confident voice boomed, a voice befitting a powerful knight.
“Are you Lord Quarely Mettlelin?”
Quarely had to take a moment to steel himself before speaking in order to prevent his voice from shaking. He as a lord had to project strength even while his constituents cowered or trembled behind him.
“I am.” He replied firmly. “And who be you?”
The knight lifted his pumpkin clad head in front of himself to more directly look at the lord before him.
“My name is Sir Rattagan Bounapart. A knight of Castle Korchok and humble servant of the great Goddess Jenna.”
Ferherlyn had moved up closely behind Quarely but yet remained silent. It was not his place to speak at the moment and he was respecting his lord's position.
Quarely squared his shoulders and stood tall.
“And what business do you have here sir? Coming so to my castle and creating such a scene?”
Rattagan replied without so much as a pause and without addressing the cutting remark. His voice was firm and his mannerism stoic like would be expected of a knight.
“I come in the name of the goddess to deliver news on her behalf.”
Quarely lifted his hands to rest on his sides and gave the headless knight a long studying look. He was terrible to behold certainly, though his aura gave no feelings of malice or aggression. Jenna had solved the undead crisis and made an ally out of a skeletal mage. Having a deathly knight in her lists of servants would hardly be surprising considering she had made companions out of all manner of men and a fairy besides. Even tamed a hydra if memory served.
“May I ask as I wonder.” Quarely said. “Before I allow you entry into my castle how one such as you came to be in the employ of Goddess Jenna?”
The monstrous horse let out a chilling whinny that caused even many of the guards to shrink back. Meanwhile Rattagan lifted his head to rest upon the pommel of his saddle as it echoed out his powerful voice.
“The great Goddess Jenna came upon me ere I wandered forlorn by beasts and men. For centuries I wandered in search of my missing head, its separation urging my steps since I found myself awake in the woods of Henjuk. So did she find my head and place its crumbling bone inside this magical gourd, not only granting me succor but enlisting me by her mercy into her service.”
Quarely let out a short breath, risking a glace to his right to look Ferherlyn in the eyes. His head mage had an almost delighted smile on his lips that said what they were both thinking. This sounded like something Jenna would certainly do. In fact it was more unbelievable that she wouldn't. The tragic story of this beheaded knight did little to blunt his terrifying visage, though the threat of violence was far from him.
“Very well.” Quarely said with a polite nod. “Come then Sir Bounapart. I invite you into my castle to tell me your news. Dismount and my men will take your steed to stable.” He nodded to the surrounding guards to show it was alright. “May I ask what manner of news you bring from the goddess?”
There was the clanking of metal and the scraping of flesh as Rattagan dismounted, his heavy metal boots thudding into the stone of the road. He then reached up and grabbed his head in his right hand before petting his horse on the side of the head. The horse whinnied and shook its rotted mane.
“This is Honeyknife. Please give her care.” He then stepped forward towards Quarely as one of the frightened guards worked up the courage to come take the lead of the undead creature. “It entails her recent occupation of the Town of Lindenburg. Some news of how things develop and so.”
“Very well.” Quarely replied. “Follow me Sir.” Then as he turned to face the castle he gave Ferherlyn a sarcastically surprised face. “Quite the company our goddess keeps. And here we thought the fairy was something!”
Ferherlyn could not help but crack a pleasant smile at his lord's playful banter. He nodded back. “Aye my lord. What wonderful friends might we make in the future I wonder?” He then turned to the knight and gave a quick bow. “My name is Ferherlyn and I am the head mage of this province. You doubtless had mages in your time yes?”
Rattagan nodded, which in his case was simply the leaning forward of his neck.
“Yes Master Mage. Well met to you.”
Quarely then waved with his right hand in a gesture to follow. “There will be time to speak more closely in the castle. My legs are tired and could do with some refreshments. Please follow me.”
With this invitation Quarely began walking back towards the castle with his head mage and the headless knight following behind. The gathered crowd of onlookers parted ways like waves of wind in the grass, their expressions mixtures of fear and curiosity. The enduring gossip would be a headache in itself of that the lord was sure. Nevertheless he would treat with this new servant of Goddess Jenna's in the same way he would any other. He wondered even if he was seen as the bizarre servant of the goddess, being merely a man among all manner of supernatural creatures.