The adventures of Arthago, My first fan fiction so be gentle Options

[treydog]

You provide a good mixture of action scenes and more "thoughtful" passages that keep me reading. Nice work.

[Agent Griff]

I am honoured to receive praise from you Trey. I am also very happy that, through the way of writing, I have come to meet such wonderful people. For that and for any silent readers I will continue to write this story. Here's the next chapter! I can tell you to expect great turmoil in the province, in the years to come.



After a few more weeks of doing minor jobs for the Fighters Guild, I had heard that the Knights of the Candle were returning from Lainlyn, victorious. Great news! I was finally over with these minor Fighters Guild tasks, I could get back to the important things. Even though the Order didn't pay that well, it was always a pleasure to do some work for them. It pays to know that you're working for the better good of the entire kingdom. I awaited the return of the order anxiously. I would meet Marshall Daron again, after a few months.

A few days later, I finally woke up to happy cheers.
"The warriors are back!" echoed from the streets below my little inn room.
I quickly put on my clothes and ran down to see the army. They were passing by on that very street, their armour shining in the morning sun like an emerald. I could make out the face of Marshall Daron in the marching rows. He seemed to be wounded, he had a blodied bandage on his left leg.
"Marshall!" I screamed.
"Arthago! The king has ordered the knights to asemble at the palace! Come now!" Marshall Daron said back to me in a weakened voice. It was not his ussual tone. He had a softer voice now, and his beard had overgrown. Anyway, I followed the Knights of my order to the palace. How exciting! I was going to finally see the king!

I reached the palace in a short time. The great ivory gates, encrusted with jewels and precious stones, opened up to a great hall, painted with various murals on the walls that showed great deeds of Redguard history: How Frandar Hunding drove away the goblins, how Divad became an ansei and how the Dwarves dissapeared from Hammerfell. The king sat on a sturdy throne made of wood with gold markings. He wore a dark green robe and his golden crown, inlaid with precious stones.
"Welcome home my brave warriors!" the king said to the Knights present.
"You have returned from a great victory! The barony of Lainlyn is now a vassal of Sentinel and for that I thank you! You shall all be rewarded for the growth of the Kingdom with your weight in gold! There shall also be a great feast in your honour my brave warriors, enjoy it for you have earned it!" the king said in a happy voice. There was indeed a great feast, in the hall right next to the throne room. A great many food types were present, I couldn't even name a few of them. I sat down next to a tall man with a beard and a shorter man with a bald head. They were both overly happy about their victory. I asked one of them about the war.
"So, Lord Kain is the new baron of Lainlyn now that Shrike is defeated, right?" I asked. Marshall Daron had said that Lord Kain was leading a rebellion against his terrible brother.
"Lord Kain? He was slaughtered sadly, just like his evil brother." the bearded soldier said, in an increasingly slurred voice caused by too much ale.
"Slaughtered? Wasn't he on our side? Who killed him?" I asked in a confused voice. Lord Kain was suposed to be the good guy, how could he die?
"He died in very sad and gruesome circumstances lad. Good thing you weren't there." the smaller, bald soldier said. Since these two soldiers weren't clarifying the situation I was in, I decided to pay Marshall Daron a visit. Maybe he knew more?

He was at his little house. I knocked and entered. He was laying down on his bed, tending his wounded foot.
"What happened to your foot Marshall?" I asked, trying to show a little interest.
"Ahh, it's nothing to worry about, in the last battle I participated in I didn't quite know what to do, who to kill and things like that. Some oaf then charged me with his spear raised. I killed him, but he still managed to thrust his spear into my leg before dying. But don't fret! I'm alright!" Marshall Daron said, in a sad voice.
"Shouldn't you be happy for winning the war? Our side won afterall and you're going to get rewarded!" I said trying to cheer him up.
"Why should I be happy? Because of a crooked victory won with lies and betrayal?" Marshall Daron shouted at me in an angry voice.
"A crooked victory? How so?" I asked. So the soldiers were happy for a great victory but Marshall Daron was sad for a victory won with lies and deceit? This war thing was geting even more complicated.
"The King's men murdered Lord Kain in the feast he gave for us! He was killed whitout mercy, like a damned dog!" Marshall Daron shouted, almost bursting into tears.
"Who gave the orders? The king?" I asked confused. How could King Lhotun do this? He seemed like a good man at first glance.
"The king, probably. The man who actually ordered Lord Kain's death during dreadful feast was Lord Vhosek." Marshall Daron said in a more calm voice.
"That's grave news indeed. Do you know why the King did this?" I asked. This was horrible, I thought our men to be heroes, our king a true leader. In all reality he seemed to be an ordinary murderer.
"I'm not sure. For the land maybe. Maybe for some other reason. Maybe he though that his father's lands were too small, he wanted to increase them with any means necesary. I don't know the true reason. If you can, you should ask him yourself." Marshall Daron said in a melancholic voice.
"I understand. Thank you for the information Marshall. I shall look into the matter for I am curious to know why the King commited this horrible act." I said in a pretty confident voice. I was geting into things that were bigger than me and more important. It was a dangerous situation.
"Good luck in your search lad! I would go myself if it weren't for this wounded leg." Marshall Daron said.
"Farewell then Marshall." I said.
"Good bye my lad, and good luck!" Marshall Daron responded. With that I left the Marshall's little house in the direction of my own room at the inn. I had to get my seal and the armour of the order to show I was a member if I wanted to get an audience with the King himself.


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That's it for this update folks! I hope you liked it and thanks for all the suport shown thus far!

[Tellie]

Ahh...an exellent installment...I have spent up my usual comment..for the time being, so I hope you can accept a jona...

[jack cloudy]

It was good, very good. Hmm, so the king isn't the good guy he pretends to be. Be on your guard.

[Taillus]

Yikes I am going to have to agree with cloudy on this one. Be sure to be on your guard. Another great update too

[treydog]

Always watch your back when dealing with kings. They are a slippery bunch and their simplest whims have the force of law. Excellent update-the intrigue and Arthago's education in the realitie of politics are quite well-drawn.

[Agent Griff]

So here's the newest update people. Oblivion will keep me from writing too much though, so I'm sorry if the updates are gonna be a bit slow. Here it is anyway!

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After talking to Marshall Daron about the murder of Lord Kain, I made my way to the "Hunding's Rest" inn to get my armour and the seal of my order. I was going to need it if I wanted to at least enter the throne room, not to mention geting an audience with the king. If he was anything like his father, the mighty Camaron, then I was going to have my hands full. I reached the inn at midnight. The door was locked. Damn it! Why do things always have to get in my way when I plan on doing something? I broke the lock and entered, if any guard saw that the lock was broken then I was in deep trouble, knight status or not.

I quickly made my way upstairs and fitted my armour on. I put my scimitar into the scabard and the scabard on my belt. Having a sword at your side was always an intimidating thing. People knew that you could draw your sword quickly and strike at their throats in an instant. Weapons and armour aside, I quickly exited the inn and closed the door after me. I ran on the dark streets to the palace, with a little luck the king could be awake. If he liked to train with the sword at night, as I often do, then I was in luck. If not, I would have to wait untill morning.

I reached the palace and saw the king entering the grand hall in which ambasadors from other lands were welcomed. I shouted at him and he turned. He had a guard who was guarding him which drew his sword and looked towards me.
"I won't harm the king, I only want to talk with his Majesty." I said, as I kneeled and raised my hands.
The guard seemed pleased and sheathed his sword. The king aproached me, with his guard in front of him, and started talking to me. If this wasn't a rash aproach then I don't know what is.
"What are you doing here at this time of night citizen?" the king asked me.
"If you allow me to be so bold, what are you doing here at this time of night your Majesty?" I asked, bordering on the arrogant.
"Affairs of state." The king responded in a calm voice.
"Would you allow me to ask your Majesty a question about the campaign in Lainlyn which has been bothering me?" I humbly asked.
"Why of course, you are a knight in the order of the city after all." King Lhotun responded. At least he was friendly.
"I have heard that Lord Kain was murdered. He was our ally your Majesty!" I said, trying not to shout at the king.
"Yes, it was sadly necessary. He rebeled against his brother, Baron Shrike. Shrike was our vassal in the province, and even though he was a tyrant with his own people he managed to collect all the taxes and make alot of money in the end. Lord Kain was going to assume command and make Lainlyn into an independent state. We gave him two choices, to either accept to rule for us or be killed." the king said with a certain sadness in his voice.
"From what I've heard, Lord Kain was given no choices and murdered in cold blood." I said, using what information Marshall Daron gave me.
"No choices? Murdered? Who gave you this information knight?" the king asked in a confused voice.
"A veteran of the Order who was there. If you want, we could go and meet him right now to hear what happened." I calmly said.
"So it shall be, I want to hear what happened there from a soldier's perspective." the king said.

Thus we set off to the house of Marshall Daron. He was probably sleeping now though. He was quite a grouch when he was awake and well rested, I wonder how he will be when he is awoken from his sleep? We reached his house in short time though. I knocked. After quite an ammount of knocking, somebody finally opened the door.
"Who, in Dagon's name, is it at this kind of hour?" Marshall Daron said in a rude voice.
"The king of Sentinel, son of Camaron and brother of Greklith." King Lhotun responded.
"Oh, umm sorry your Majesty! I didn't know it was you sir, please come in!" Marshall Daron humbly said. It was good to see him follow orders for once.
I, together with the King and his guard entered the Marshall's small house.
"I've been hearing some alternate accounts of Lord Kain's last stand, explain yourself soldier!" the king said in a authoritative tone.
"I was there when the man died your Majesty. The story is fresh in my mind and I can tell it to you if you wish." Marshall Daron said.
"I wish so, tell me." the king plainly said.
"Well, after Baron Shrike got what he deserved, Lord Kain organised a feast with all the high-ranking knights that participated in the battles and the comanding lords. I was invited to the feast. It was on a Loredas evening. I was seated near Lord Vhosek, the one who comanded the whole force of Sentinel. So were many of our knights. To the oposite side of the table, stood Lord Kain together with his host of knights which served him. Lord Kain rose and gave a toast in our honour. Lord Vhosek then rose as well and walked to the side of the table. He proposed a toast in honour of Lord Kain's new reign. At the end of the toast, he threw his wine goblet on the floor and gave a fire comand. A dozen archers, bearing the symbol of a Moon on their chests, then barged into the room and showered Lord Kain and his men with arrows. The hall then erupted into a bloodbath. Lord Kain's men followed their leader into the grave after fighting with our knights. I didn't know what to do for a moment, and was then forced to defend myself against a knight of Lord Kain. We fought and I killed the poor man. Is that how you do politics my king?" Marshall Daron said in a very sad voice.
"It was not suposed to happen so. Lord Vhosek was to propose terms to Lord Kain in a friendly enviroment. It seems Lord Vhosek has lied to me about the slaying of Lord Kain. He told me that Lord Kain tried to ambush him and his men. And that symbol of the Moon, it's the symbol of Lord Vhosek's men. I shall try to figure out a way to solve this problem. Marshall, knight, meet me in a few days at the palace and we shall put an end to this injustice." the king said, bearing anger in his voice.
"So be it!" I said in a jolly voice.

I always liked to see how justice was enacted on those who lied, cheated or, even worse, murdered for their personal gain. So I had an apointment with the King in a few days, great! I advanced a great deal this past year, from a meager peasant with just the clothes on his back to a knight in the service of the King.



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That's the end of this chapter folks! I'll begin a new thread for the following chapter but you can still write your opinions about this update. Cheers!

[Tellie]

Ahh...a good update, and a exellent finish to the first chapter. I enjoyed it much, adn I look forward to the next one.

[Kiln]

This is a very good story, I just caught up with it and it was well worth my time. Very interesting end to the first chapter and I look forward to his meeting with the king.

[Agent Griff]

Nobody is stoping you from reading it in chapter 2. I'm glad you've all liked my story thus far. I'll make sure it stays top-notch.

[minque]

Very good story Griffie! I´m sorry I can´t keep up with my commenting....but I´ll try to improve.

Keep it up!