The adventures of Arthago chapter III, A Province united Options

[Agent Griff]

So let's kick this chapter off shall we? A small bit of info at what's to come further in the series: At the end of this chapter, Arthago will move to a whole new province and I think many of you already know which province it is. Anyway, let's enjoy Hammerfell while it lasts shall we?

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After the defeat of Lord Vhosek's rebellion, things went back to normal in all of Hammerfell. Some local kings and rulers however, seeing that Lord Vhosek managed to battle the King and even defeat him, albeit for a short time, started a fight against King Lhotun's rule as well. Since I was one of the highest ranking knights in Sentinel, with the exception of Marshal Daron and a few other senior knights of the order, I was often sent to these small kingdoms to stop the rebellions. The first kingdom to revolt, a few years after Vhosek's uprising, was the small kingdom of Santaki which was close to the Dragontail mountains. I was sent there, together with a few other knights below my rank, to stop the rebellion.

We arrived there after a few days ride. The capital of the small kingdom was the town with the same name, Santaki. The kingdom, albeit small, had its own knightly order, the order of the Hawk. That meant that the Kingdom had some importance in the politics of Hammerfell but it also meant that other smaller kingdoms may gather around Santaki and fight against Sentinel. I never really understood why Redguards or men in general fight eachother if there's no other foe to fight against. Maybe to heighten their skills? No, the answer was quite simple really. For Power. Once a man got ahold of better, he never could really let go of it. The more power you have the more power you crave. King Lhotun obviously had too much power for the regional kingdoms to bear, so they rebelled against him. Quite simple if you look at it from a political point of view.

The capital was a rather big town. It was quite smaller than Sentinel though but bigger than any other town I had seen before. The seal of the order that was etched on my cuirass was concealed by a cloak and so were the seals of the knights under my command. I didn't want someone to see that knights from Sentinel had arrived to settle affairs with Santaki. The palace was not a big or tall building, it was merely three storeys high. I could see an open balcony leading to the throne room at the last floor. There were also knights of the Hawk standing guard near the palace. Even though they came from an issolated kingdom such as Santaki those knights looked fierce.

Once we reached the gate of the palace, a knight stopped us to ask us of our business with their king. I didn't exactly think of an excuse on the way so I had to improvise.
"We come from Sentinel to bring word on King Lhotun's movements." I said in an official tone.

"Sentinel eh? Why do you have to bring the news to the King personally? I thought that sir Greklith was in charge of intelligence." the knight said with a suspicious voice. He was also constantly looking at my knights who were behind me.

"Our duties are to transmit this information to his Majesty personally." I said, trying to keep the lie going. He seemed to believe me.

"Very well then. If the King specificaly required that you meet him I won't interfere. Carry on!" the guard said as he opened the gate. How polite of him! I'm sure that he will be pounding his head after I slay his treacherous king.

A few minutes later we were standing in front of the king of Santaki. He was a man close to old age with a small beard and long, flowing, hair. He looked at me and my men with his brown eyes and asked what my business was in Santaki. He seemed confused and I felt sorry to slay him because he looked like an innocent man.

"What is your business in Santaki, travellers?" the king asked.

"We come from Sentinel with news and counsel." I said, with a soft tone that calmed him down a little.

"Counsel? What counsel? I think I can handle my own kingdom, despite my advancing age." the king said with a hostile voice. Alright so he didn't like advice. It wasn't as if he had much choice when it came to the advice I was about to give him.

"King Lhotun of Sentinel advises you to lay down your outrageous claims and slanders against him. He also advises you that uprisings are very dangerous for men of advanced age such as your fine self." I said in a cold voice.

"Men as myself? King Lhotun now mocks me! I will not lay down my just claims! Hammerfell must be free!" the old king shouted.

"The king of Ephesus had the same opinion regarding the King's counsel. He dissapeared shortly after he made his opinions public and his cousin now peacefuly rules the kingdom. I would not want the same happening to yourself." I said, trying to scare the old king.

"I know why you're here. Lhotun sent his assassins after me. He is a coward not to face me in just battle!" the old king shouted.

"Neither I nor his Majesty see a brave, young King fighting against an old man as a just battle. I think you will agree with our opinions." I said with a sarcastic tone. This man was really pushing my indulgence to the very limit.

"Your king is a filthy coward! And so are his men!" the old man shouted.

Before the old king could say another word he fell down on the floor. His throat was pierced by a small dart. Blood started flowing shortly until it reached our feet. Our job was done! Slaying old men with darts really wasn't my style but at least it payed well, well enough to manage the estate that Lord Vhosek left me. Before the guards could react we were already outside the palace and into the crowded streets of the city.

Once we reached the gatehouse, one of the knights under my command entered as the others, myself included, exited the city. Shortly after, the guard inside the gathehouse fell out of a small window. The knight inside had done his job well. He was more lightly armoured than the rest of us and he was adept in sneaking around and stabbing people when they weren't looking. He then fired a flaming arrow into the sky. The army waiting for us outside soon stormed the town with the gates open. The town guards and even the knights of the Hawk surrendered once they saw what was pouring through their open gates. The King would be pleased to hear of my actions, conquering a town without any loses and slaying a king without anyone noticing. Being an assassin though, didn't quite fit me. I lusted for the thrill of battle again. I had not fought anyone since Vhosek's rebellion. I had to return to Sentinel to report my deeds and receive my rewards anyway. I wonder what Marshal Daron has to say? I had not spoken with him since the days of the rebellion and I was anxious to speak with him again.


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That's it for the start of the chapter! I've followed advice and have used spaces between dialogue lines, tell me if you like it how it is now or if you liked it more the way it was before.

[Agent Griff]

Well, real life politics are never interesting since they involve too much talking and negotiating. My politics are interesting because they involve plotting, intrigue and murder. Besides, I don't think I'm the only with a fan fic which is heavily concerned with provincial politics. There must be others...I think. Anyway.

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I carefully suited up in my kit of specially designed steel armour, given to me by his Majesty King Lhotun himself. I always liked putting on my armour. Even though it was a long and laborious process it made me feel proud to be a knight. I enjoyed the sounds of metal clanking about as I tried to strap on my cuirass, and the sound of my blade as I drew it out of its scabbard, just to make sure it was nice and sharp. The way it caught any sources of light, making it shine, was also nice. Strapping on my scabbard on my belt, and tying the belt around my waste using the wooden belt strap carved in the shape of a curved sword made me feel like a Redguard warrior of old, preparing to go to battle against Azura-knows-what fiend.

Last but not least, I put on my gauntlets, moving my fingers around in them like a lizard stretching its limbs while basking in the sun. The sound of steel stretching was a sound of great beauty, only recognized by those intimate with heavy armour. Fighting wasn't glamorous. There is little actual beauty about fighting, not like they make it sound in songs and old tales. There is nothing glorious about hacking apart the man next to you for reasons which are not your own to decide. Seldom do men decide their own fate. The illusion of choice is always there however. The only thing which frees you of the illusion of choice is battle. There, you fight for your own fate, and your opponent fights for his.

It is a horrendous feeling one gets when another charges towards you, weapon in hand, intent on killing you. Once it happens however and you manage to survive to tell the tale, you become an entirely different person. You will never be the man you once were after you have killed. It is an experience through which all warriors go through. You can come out of it as a wreck, denying who you are, or you can come out of it changed, at ease with your new self.

These are lessons every warrior goes through. However, now was not a time of fighting and killing. Now was a time of sublime investigation of manipulation. The king of Rihad was King Sorian, cousin of the late King Sosscan of Bergama, whom I had killed with my own hand. He wouldn't have much love for me if I declared myself openly so I would have to go under a cover name. Under the guise of something else. As I stood in my armour, thinking, an idea came. I would be Vilamon, Knight-Errant in search of glory, and what better place to search for glory than the Royal Court of King Sorian? King Lhotun had told me about the court of Rihad and the more prominent nobles. He had even given me information about one of our agents infiltrated in the court of Rihad, which could give me more information once I arrived there.

The only thing left to do was to actually go on the journey. At least I wouldn't be alone. I would have two companions for once, odd ones at that, but companions all the same. A route had to be chosen though. I could either take a ship or go on land. After my last experience on water, I decided to take a more earth-bound approach. There were two main ways to get to Rihad. Either take the long way along the eastern coast of Hammerfell, or the somewhat shorter way inland, going North-West to Lainlyn then South to Rihad. Out of those three, I decided to take the shorter route. With that in mind, I went down the stairs to the Tavern common-rooms. There I found my companions waiting for me.

Soon enough, we were on the road to Rihad. I soon began a discussion with Beomir regarding our route however. Being the highwayman that he was he must have surely known a route which would take us quicker to Rihad.

"Well, there is a way which would take us quicker. I used this way alot in the old days." Beomir said, reffering to the days he was a highwayman.

"And where exactly will it lead us?" I asked, curious on learning more.

"It goes through the middle of the wilderness, near the edge of the Alik'r until we reach the city of Riverview, where we can rest. Afterwards, by way of back-country roads which I happen to know of, we can reach Taneth in less than a day's time. Afterwards, we can take the straight road to Rihad." Beomir said.

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" I asked, impatiently.

"The only problem I could think of is that bandits and other folk of ill repute wander those roads. I wouldn't really want to have a run-in with them at unawares without a trusty band of lads behind me. My time as an outlaw has left me with some rivals, rivals that wouldn't have any quarells about killing me on sight. We Nords aren't as mannered as you Redguards or Bretons you see. We'll run someone through at the first chance we get if we're angry on that someone." Beomir said, with uncertainty in his voice, if not fear.

"Fair enough, some of us Redguards can be like that too. But still, you've got me behind you, and you've got old what's-his-name here as well. Brian, is it?" I said, trying to encourage Beomir to show me the way. I really wasn't going to trudge along like an idiot when I could be going along in half the time, despite the danger.

"It's Belwin." the Breton said with a slightly annoyed look. It seemed he didn't like it when people messed up his name.

"Well, you're right. This Boric fellow is pretty good in a pinch as well, what with the invisibility and all that." Beomir said with a smile. Belwin wasn't smiling though.

"It's Belwin for Azura's sake!" he said, almost shouting.

"You shouldn't have messed up his name." I said, slightly whispering, to Beomir. I did so knowing well that I had messed up Belwin's name in the first place.

"Me?! You were the one who messed up his name in the first place! Why are you throwing the blame on me?" Beomir shouted angrily. Alright, so this guy can't take a joke. Doesn't harm trying though.

"Alright, enough with the bickering. So are you going to show me this way of yours to Rihad or not?" I asked, settling the argument.

"Well, ok then. But make sure you're ready to draw your blade whenever you see someone. You can't tell friend from foe in my line of work. Besides, I might have some former "associates" on my tracks." Beomir said.

"That makes two of us. I might have some groups on my tracks as well so you keep your axe ready at all times just in case. You never know who you might meet in my line of work as well." I said, keeping up with Beomir. The Forebears might have been angry because of that little "bar-brawl" we had back in Sentinel.

"Aren't you knights supposed to be an honourable bunch who don't go around causing trouble?" Belwin asked, innocently.

"Not in Sentinel at least." I said. The Breton nodded to my response then continued riding.

We had been riding for three hours now and still no sign of the trail Beomir spoke of. It had been "right after the next corner" for about two miles now and I was seriously starting to doubt it really existed. Up until the current moment we had met no other living creature except a few birds idly chirping in the trees.

I hoped it stayed that way until we reached Rihad, but I knew we had faint chances of not meeting something interested in us for ill reasons, be it man or beast. I had discovered however that men were far above beasts when it came to idle slaughter. In all the battles I had been through, I had seen men bestially stabbing eachother as if the whole world was going to end and one man was the only thing keeping the other from salvation. When it came to close combat, long swords really weren't all that effective. Long swords needed room to swing and to maneuvre properly. If you didn't have these things in mind, you could end up injuring yourself as well as your comrades.

In close combat, the most effective killer and weapon of choice for most soldiers was the dagger or the short sword. With these weapons you could stab freely without the threat of injuring your comrades. You could easily close the distance between a heavily armoured knight and yourself then give the finishing blow with a quick thrust to the neck or a quick stab in his helmet's eye hole. I had seen Redguard warriors with daggers before and I can certify, that the deadliest weapon you can find on a field is the dagger.

Combat philosophy and ethics (if there ever was such a thing) aside, it seemed that we had finally arrived at Beomir's trail, which broke off from the main road which continued onwards to Lainlyn. If Beomir's plans went correctly, we would arrive at the main road once more somewhere close to Taneth, from which our journey would be much easier. If not, we would most likely end up in some ditch on the side of the road as carrion for birds. Pretty positive outcomes don't you think?
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With that ends this philosophy heavy update.

This post has been edited by Agent Griff: Sep 24 2007, 08:38 PM