Death Or Fortune (9 page)

     With the
gold chest we found stuffed into Hetarons magic bag we began our long journey
home. Pare and Hans rode together, the body of Arturo was tied to his horse and
Hetaron rode with me. He did not have the energy to use his carpet, in truth I
am shocked he had the strength to hold on to me the entire way home. Hans had
his hands full with Pare. While the day was a grand adventure for the little
halfling, the death of Arturo took its toll on him. As it did all of us, Pare
also cried enough for all of us on the way home.
     The closer to Arcadia we got, the harder the rain fell
from the sky.  By the time we returned to the staging area and reported
back to the king, we could not see three feet past our face. To this day,
having to tell Turk about the death of his old friend is one of the hardest
things I have ever done.  Each word that left my mouth was like a small
dagger slashing though my soul.  The only thing that gave anyone any
comfort was the news that Nikle was in fact dead.  Later that night Turk
and I took our friends body home to his son Augustus.  He took it about as
well as I could have expected.
     In the days that followed the battle it would seem
there was no shortage of things to do.  It was more than a week before we
had all the bodies sorted out.  The men who fought for The Messiah were
burned in mass.  Our men were claimed by their families. Those who were
never claimed were given a proper funeral.  I had never seen so many
clerics at one time out side of a temple.  Wounds were healed, prayers
were said to the dead and in the end we celebrated our victory.  My
friends and I were invited to dine with the king and the Arcadian lords.
 Guest of honor they called us.  The sting of Arturo's death was
still on my mind and honored was the last thing I felt.
     I was in the room I shared with Hetaron, polishing my
armor for the dinner.  Other than some simple clothes I had nothing else
to wear.  I had yet to replace everything I lost in the fire at Jasmin’s
inn.  When Hetaron came in with his new robe I was impressed. When I told
him he looked ready for the stage he cast me a dirty look and simply tossed me
the belt we took from Nikle.
"This is why he was so hard to kill. It
grants the person who wears it the strength of a giant. I am sure it has limits
but it is a very powerful item Darmot. You should put it on and never take it
off again.  Nikle had some other minor enhancements on his armor, it is
too bad I destroyed it, I would have liked to study it."
He kept
talking as I reached down and took the belt into my hands.  The rush I got
when I put it on was incredible.  I felt as if I could crush stone in my
teeth and bend steel.  Once I put my armor on over it, I felt indestructible.
     When Hans and Pare arrived they too had taken the time
to find proper garments. I almost felt foolish, walking around in my armor but
it was too late to change anything.  As we entered the king’s castle the
four of us were waved though.  I was shocked they did not try to take my
weapon.  It must have been a strange image to all who saw us enter the
grand hall that night.  A wizard in black silk robes, a cleric in robes of
white with nothing but a silver medallion on his chest, myself in my armor and
a little halfling in one of those poofy shirts with tight leather pants.
 All the Arcadian living lords were present, my friends and I were seated
at the right hand of the king.  As we were waiting for the food to be
presented I watched in dread as Captain Turk and Michaels marched in to the
grand hall in full dress uniform.
     As they stood before the king I had to listen to a
recounting of the battle by Michaels.  He told of all that we did, of the
lives we saved and how without our tactics, we would have been doomed.
 Then when Turk spoke he commended us for our actions in the days before
and after the riot and all that we did to help the city.  They were
calling us heroes.  When they were finished, they both turned and marched
out.  When the clapping started I felt small, I wanted to hide from these
men and women.  The only one who looked pleased was Hetaron, the glow he
had on his face was almost un-natural.  When the moment passed the king
ordered the meal to begin and servants rushed the hall with platters mounded
with food.
     Each lord had been allowed to have their wife with
them and one servant.  Things were going well and the food was the best I
had eaten since I had left home what seemed to be a lifetime ago.  In
truth I was still embarrassed over all the attention we had been given.  I
did not look away from my plate until I heard Hetaron speak. "
Interesting
"
was all he said and the way he said it sent a chill down my spine.  I
looked to him and then looked to where he was watching. One of the lord’s
servants was holding a small crossbow.  Without thought I got to my feet
as he took aim.  I pushed the king down towards the floor as I felt the
crossbow bolt shatter on my armor.  A hush fell over the room as it all
played out.  Two of the lords stood up from the table, one was shouting
orders to the servant to hurry.  That he must kill the king.  I
looked to Roderick and told him to stay down as I turned to meet the assassin.
 I saw him running towards us with a long dagger in his hand, I shouted
for the guards and I drew my own sword.
     The second lord who was standing also shouted for his
man to kill the king.  All it took was for a single woman to scream and
the entire room erupted into pandemonium.  One of the would be assassins
came at me with his knife in hand; I caught his arm as he was plunging it down
towards me.  I stood there and gripped his wrist, it was the first time I
truly felt the power of the belt as I crushed his wrist in my hand.  I did
not have time to think as I saw the second assassin moving towards us.  I
let go of the man’s now useless arm and slashed him across his chest with my
sword killing him where he stood.  I could see the guards rushing into the
great hall as I moved to meet the second.  He took one swing at me, trying
to keep his momentum towards the king.  I ducked away from his blow with
ease and cut him down from behind as he moved past me. I then turned to the
only two lord’s still standing at the table.  Who took one look at each
other and started to run.
     Once the assassins were dead it was then that Hetaron
decided to do something. He jumped from his chair and stood on the table we
were just eating at.  Magical energy flew from his fingertips into the
backs of each lord who were trying to flee. Their death was simple compared to
what Roderick would have done had they lived.  All these years later, the
wives of these two men, while they insisted that they did not know of the plot,
still rest in a cell deep under the earth.  I pointed to the guards who were
still rushing into the room and shouted for them to clear the room as I moved
back towards the king.  My friends and I escorted the king back to his
private chambers as Turk had the guards check the rest of the castle.
     Once Turk reported that it was safe once again the
king summoned the remaining lords into the throne room.  He assured them
that he was fine and that if there were any more traitors still within his
realm, they would be found and dealt with. When he made his final announcement that
night I was stunned. "
It would seem that we have two more seats to
fill. I propose to you that on this night Darmot Kromwell will be appointed to
the seventh house of Arcadia, given the title Lord Kromwell. The wizard Hetaron
will be appointed to the eleventh house of Arcadia and also given the title of
Lord Hetaron. Each will be given the lands of the former lords along with other
areas of responsibility. Is there any standing lord who would protest these
appointments at this time
?" Not a single word was spoken from all who
were gathered.  I looked to Hetaron in shock, he looked at me like the cat
that ate the canary.  As the night ended, we were both on one knee at the
foot of the throne being knighted by King Roderick.  As a new day dawned,
our worlds had suddenly and unexpectedly changed.

    
The first time I toured my new home, I was shocked. I could have knocked half
of it down and still had enough room for my family, Jasmin, her parents and
Pare. To be honest, we could have sent a note to whatever village Pare escaped
from and had his whole clan come take up shelter here and been fine.
 Along with the estate I was given ownership of quite a bit of land. Most
of the lumber produced here in Arcadia comes from my lands.  I gave Pare a
room in the house to do with as he wanted.  Truth be told he was a bit
insulted at not being granted a title like Hetaron and I.  I tried to make
him feel better by telling him that I needed him to help run things.

    
Once I had Jasmin and her parents moved in, Stephan gave me permission to marry
his daughter.  We had a small wedding, I asked Hans to perform the ritual.
 As Stephan could not walk, Pare escorted my bride to the altar in the
temple of Solarth.  Hetaron refused to attend as he said he was busy with
his own matters. If I remember right, it was during this time he began to look
for an apprentice.  I would not meet the unlucky one until much later,
when we traveled to Eystlund.  It was around this time that our friendship
started to turn towards something else. Towards what it was in the very end.

    
For more than a month my armor and sword were forgotten.  I took to a hand
full of projects on my land, getting Jasmin’s inn rebuilt and just being happy.
 I had everything I wanted. Wealth, power and a beautiful woman at my
side.  As I sit and write this today, I am content to watch my wealth
grow. Yet back then, I started to get that itch. I was still young, full of
dreams and desire to change the world. To help those who could not help
themselves.  I often wished something would come along that would make me
pick up the sword again.  I wish I could write myself and tell that young
man to be careful about wishing for the next big adventure.

    
Stephan never lived to see the Inn re-open. We all knew it was coming; he
passed one night in his sleep. What we did not see coming was the sudden
passing of his wife. I assumed at the time that she would be happy to live out
her life here, waiting for a grandchild or two. When she jumped from her
bedroom window, it almost destroyed Jasmin.  I was at a loss as to how to
deal with her at the time so I did the only thing I knew how to do.  I
bought her some armor and a sword and began to teach her how to fight.  As
Windfall taught me, I instructed her.  When the pain in her body was
enough to block out the pain in her heart, things started to get better for
her. Yet at times, when it is quiet I can still see that pain deep inside of
her.

 
   It was late at night when Charles, my servant, came to me
about the half dead lumber jack on the front steps.  I had him brought
inside and had Pare run to the temple to find Hans.  The man’s ribs were
crushed, how he survived the trip into town I will never know.  I will
just say it is a testament to the strength of the Arcadian people.  When
Pare arrived with Hans and Michaels I was a bit shocked.  There stood my
former lieutenant, in full plate armor with a sword on his hip, white robes and
a medallion of Solarth resting on his chest.  I cast a single glance at Hans
who only held up one hand and let me know that the story would be coming.
 As Hans went to work on the poor man Michaels kneeled down beside him and
started to pray.

    
Years later when the weather was cold, the man would feel dull pains from his
once broken ribs but that is the only physical pain he would have of that day.
 Hans was able to heal him fully, to be honest; I was amazed at just how
powerful of a cleric he was becoming.  Yet he would not be able to heal
his mind of the horrors he had seen.  His name was Kaffis, he was a lumber
worker on my lands.  He owned a half dozen draft horses and used them to
work the land, drag the lumber and pull wagons.  Each night after work was
completed and the rest of the men had retired for the night, he would care for
the horses and walk them back to the stables where the rest of the equipment
was stored.  Only, on this night Kaffis never got the horses back to the
stables.  He never even left the lot they were working that day.

    
"
It was just after sun set Lord Kromwell, while I have heard tales of
the great beast I had never seen one. I had just finished securing them so I
could walk them back to base camp when it happened. My horses are big, strong
and when they got scared it frightened me. When the beast landed it was more
than my bowls could handle.  It quickly started killing my horses and
smacked me with its great tail as I tried to run.  I must have flown a
hundred feet though the air. I am sure if she didn't have her hands full with
my horses she would have eaten me as well. She ate two of them whole, right
there on the spot and carried the rest off.  She flew off to the north
east, deep into the forest. Her hide was blood red, I will never forget this as
long as I shall live.
"
     I had Pare take poor Kaffis to a spare room. In the
morning Jasmin would feed him and pay him for his horses while I was out at the
base camp, telling the men they were not to go out to work until I said it was
safe. All of this happened after Michaels declared that this was the sign he
had been waiting for from the great god Solarth, that he would track this beast
to its lair and look for his next sign as to how to proceed.  I did not
get a single word out to him before he was on his feet and out the door.
 I again looked to Hans and he just shook his head.
     "
He came and found me at the temple. He said
that when I saved his life out on the battle field, he had a vision sent to him
by Solarth. He said that I reviled to him, his true calling. He has now
dedicated his life to be a paladin of Solarth. While I believe his heart is
true in this and far be it from me to question how the gods work. I came to it
later in life as he did but the man is making me crazy.
" I had a
little laugh at the expense of my friend and offered him a place to stay for
the night.  I had a feeling we would all need a good night’s rest. Before
I crawled into bed that night I asked Charles to go to the estate of Lord
Hetaron and ask him if he would join us the following afternoon.  If
Charles was asked why, he was just to tell Hetaron that this was something he
might find interesting.