novelxo Chapter Chapter Eleven
Tanis, Artitous, and Perrick continued for several days to prepare for their attack on the Dark Knight. Many a night was spent pouring over maps and plans of buildings by the three friends. It was three days after Tanis sent the message to the dwarves that the messenger returned with the reply. It was a simple reply. “We’ll see” was all that was written on the paper given to Tanis. Tanis handed it around the table and the all those gathered there laughed with the joke that Tanis had started.
It would be another three days before Tanis prepared his pack to leave for the campaign. As he packed horns sounded outside the manor. Tanis ran to the walls concerned that the Dark Knight had brought the battle to him instead of Tanis bringing it to the knight. Tanis looked out at the coming army and gaped at its order and size. Quickly ordering the defense to prepare, Tanis ran down and donned his armor and weapon. Out the gates Tanis rode to meet the enemy as he approached.
Halfway to the approaching army Tanis drew reign. Standing on his saddle, Tanis suddenly realized what the troops on the battlements were trying to tell him. The approaching army was in fact that of his neighbor and friend to the north, Lord Nargus. Nargus rode up to Tanis and quipped, “Gee sir, if I had known that I was going to be met by the Lord of the manor himself I would have dressed up.”
Tanis and Nargus laughed as they rode into McCryden. Nargus’s army would camp outside and prepare for the move out in the next couple of days. Lord Nargus would spend those days as a guest of Tanis inside the manor house. As Tanis once more began to prepare for the journey the horns sounded again. Once more Tanis donned his armor and ran for the stables. Riding out into the surrounding field, Tanis called for all those that could follow to do so and be prepared to fight. Several thousand horsemen came riding onto the field and the leader called a halt. Slowly Tanis approached the leader with sword drawn and head held high ready to defend his home and people. The leader stood in his stirrups and called out to Tanis, “Sir! Lay down your sword and take me to your Lord. We come to aid him in his quest. Tell him that Lord Feragett has come and demands entry to the manor and space for his men to bed down.”
“Sir!” yelled Tanis, “I would take you to the lord of this place but there is one small problem here. You see, I am the lord of this manor and I would be happy to answer a request for housing. Your men may stay here with these pike men of Lord Nargus who had arrived just a few hours earlier. You sir, I will welcome into my home and have you as my guest until the end of this great campaign.”
“Quit your fooling man and bring me to the Lord of this place. I grow weary of this waiting game and my men need a roof to rest under, not pike men to keep them company. Mixing foot and horse are never a good idea and a true Lord would know that. So bring me to your lord and quit this foolishness.” said Lord Feragett.
“I assure you sir that there is no foolery going on here. I am Lord Tanis Thalin and I am the Lord of this manor. If you have come to assist me in my campaign then you are welcome to my manor and your men here can set camp here amongst the rest of those camped here. I have no place left for them inside the town.” replied Tanis.
“I will believe you for now sir. But if I find that you have deceived me, I will see you dead upon my sword.” said Lord Feragett.
At that Tanis turned and led Lord Feragett to the manor house. They had barely gained the courtyard when again the horns sounded and Tanis rushed to the field. The sight that met him this time was well welcome and anticipated. The elven army approached with his own adoptive father at the head. Ten thousand archers stood in straight columns awaiting the word of their king to start assembling camp. Well disciplined and rigid, the elves waited as the king brought Tanis down each rank. Tanis again invited in the king and allowed the elves to mingle with the horsemen and pike men already on the fields surrounding the small town.
Tanis held his father close as they entered the dining area and wept once more into his father’s armor. He kept crying until the Elven King started humming his magic into the ears and mind of Tanis. The magic made Tanis feel less of the pain and less of the anguish that he had felt for the last few days since the loss of his wife and child. He was finally able to once again, for at least a moment, resume with some semblance of the control he had once had. Looking into the eyes of his father Tanis shuddered and knelt at the elf king’s feet.
“Stand man. You are not subject to me nor am I subject to you. No one needs to kneel before another. I have given you back what you lost with your family. We need you at your best my son. Not crying for those of us that have past onto the greater existence beyond death. You are still here and your family now watches us from that great land we all wish to obtain. They would not want you to waste away because they have passed on.” Said the king of the elves.
“I would not want to think that they were lost forever. They are the cause of this war and they are my reason for destroying those who oppress and destroy for the thrill of it. I want to hurt, father. I want to be grieving. I want to see to it that no one ever suffers the loss that I have ever again.” replied Tanis. “Please put me back the way I was.”