The Realm

The dark clouds encroached on the little light the moon was providing. A mother rabbit watched over her younglings, who chewed at the surrounding grass in the clearing. Behind her in the trees, two yellow eyes sprang to life. The fox crouched silently as he slowly walked from the cover of the trees to the open clearing. Thankfully for him, the cloud cover made him nearly invisible even to the keen eyes of the doe and her kits. A slight breeze aided the fox in masking his scent from the rabbit; however, it made his mouth water as he could smell the rabbit fur in the wind. Soon he would be able to satisfy the deep hunger plaguing him for the last few nights. A deep winter cost many forest animals their lives, but the cunning fox kept his wits and fought through the long nights.

As he edged closer to the rabbit pack, he noticed the mother rabbit had stiffened and perked up her eyes. Fear enveloped the fox as he thought he had been exposed; however, he too sensed some new presence had entered the forest with them. Crouching lower, the fox barred his teeth as the presence moved closer to the clearing. The ground began to erupt in a rumble of thunder and shake as if the very earth was breaking apart. The hair stood straight on the fox's back as the impending doom came closer. Jumping into the clearing, a dark beast galloped forth with a monstrous figure on its back. The fox jumped into the air and scattered back to the tree line as the beast rode through the clearing.

The stallion was jet black with piercing red eyes. Steam billowed from its nostrils as its rider pushed it forward. The rider sat hunched on the stallion’s back, wrapped in a dark grey cloak two sizes too big for him. Hidden beneath the veil was an elderly man with dark beady eyes. He had grown up in these woods, but even he knew riding at night was a dangerous game. One wrong root and horse and rider would indeed fly to their demise. That may be one game he was playing tonight, but there were other games at work, and this game needed his quick response. If they delay any longer, all they had worked for these past 16 years could be undone. He needed to reach his destination before word got out of his journey. Too many alarms would be rung if people knew he was traveling to another keep in the dead of night.

Not another keep…my old home, the man thought. Surely people wouldn’t question him if he said he felt like visiting his former abode for a time. His new home was nicer and more powerful; however, the quaintness of his former household always held a special place in his heart. For generations, his family had tried to move their position within the realm, and for years they were always passed over. It was ironic that De Puce wanted nothing more than to return home after he had been granted the Seat of Seaguard. His father was a man worthy of Seaguard, De Puce could not even hold a candle to his shadow. He was born the sickly second son of Reginald De Puce. For much of his life, Duc De Puce thought he would be wedded to some lording daughter, using him to elevate their own family.

However, the Dragons made sure that had not come to pass. The realm bled when Aneys rose against his brother’s claim to the throne. Father fought son, brother fought brother, and when the Dragonlord finally cast his rebellious brother into the sea, half of the men fell with him. Duc had lost his brother a year into the war, and his father died during the great burning however, Duc was adamant that his people would not suffer greater calamities. He knew people whispered jabs about him for bending the knee so quickly, but how many lives had he saved by not continuously fighting for a lost cause? He also had done what no other member of his family had been able to accomplish throughout history. Now they were lords of Seaguard while Duc Beauregard was sent to High Hearth.

As De Puce and his stallion made it over the ridge, he could see High Hearth. The small keep stood out among the surrounding forest. It had four large rounded towers, each two hundred yards from the other. On top of each of the towers sat ballistae and a regiment of archers. During peace times such as this, only three archers would be keeping watch; however, more than 20 could stand on the towers during times of war while allowing the ballistaes room to function. On this night, De Puce could see two archers huddled around a brazier to keep warm while a third kept watch. As De Puce got closer, he saw the third archer spot him and run to notify the gateman of his arrival.

The main gate of High Hearth was a smaller gatehouse compared to others throughout the realm. The walls of High Hearth were only five meters thick, which did not call for a monstrosity of a gatehouse. The De Puces’ had made sure to be resourceful. Thick wooden doors sealed the outside world from High Hearth’s courtyard. Centuries ago, one of Duc’s ancestors had reinforced the entries with an iron backing. The Du Pace sigil of four white towers on a red and black field was engraved in the stone. So Beauregard has not disgraced our old gatehouse with his own sigil. Above the gatehouse stood archers with their bows drawn. On both sides flapped giant banners displaying Beauregard’s famous sigil of blue waves breaking against red brick and an angel rising above all. The sigil was more fitting when his family-controlled Seaguard however, here in the deep forest, it would lead to confusion from anyone who did not know their history.

As De Puce nears the gate, no one had thought to open it for him. The night’s watchmen kept their positions on top of the gate, not moving to let their former liege lord in.

“You there, open this door at once!” Barked De Puce

“I’m afraid I cannot do that, my sir. Strict orders to keep this closed throughout the night. Dangerous brigands have been roaming the forest for some time. Now be off with you.”

This man does not know what danger he is in! “Be off with me!” scoffed De Puce. “Do you not recognize your liege lord when he rides up to you in the middle of the night.”

“Liege Lord? Lord Beauregard is asleep in his keep.”

How dare he! He insults me in front of my ancestral home. “Who is your night commander?”

“I am!” Responded a burly man who was clearly annoyed with all the commotions. “What is the meaning of this?”

I know him. We were raised together. “Jaques it is I Lord Duc De Puce. I demand you open this gate at once so I can see Lord Beauregard.”

Jaques looks stunned at De Puce and then at his men. “Open the outer gate so I can look at him closer.”

“Open the gate!” one of the watchmen yelled into the night. Behind the oak doors, De Puce could hear men unlocking the gate mechanisms and straining to pull the heavy doors open. Slowly the doors parted and let light from the tunnel shine into the night. Jaques strolled out as De Puce was painfully aware of the archers pointing their arrows at him.

“Jaques, is this how your men greet their liege lord?”

Staring at the hooded De Puce, Jaques raises his torch to get a better look at the man. “My Lord, I am sorry for this inconvenience; please do not take it as a slight. We have been informed to keep twice as many men on watch as brigands have been spotted in these parts.”

“And how many brigands do you know that travel alone and come right up to the gate! Step aside, you fool, and let me through.” De Puce kicks his horse forward, causing Jaques to jump out of the way from being trampled. De Puce rides through the short tunnel of the gatehouse, plenty aware of the many murder holes that line its ceiling. Any army would have to be suicidal to send men through here. No wonder my family was able to hold it for so long.

Out into the courtyard, he rides. Everything about the square was the same as he remembered from his youth, yet completely different from the last time he stood here. In the center of the yard sat a well where peasants would gather, hoping to find some form of work for the day. However, as De Puce looked at the empty square, no peasants were milling about as before. Now it was empty besides the well that seemed little used compared to when he used to be the ruler.

Like before, the Keep stood in the center of the wall enclosure. Rising four levels into the air from its base to the roof, the Keep allowed a height advantage to the archers stationed there. On a clear day, one could see over the stone walls that protected High Hearth and into the forest surrounding the castle. De Puce had spent most of his living in that structure, where he was taught most of his lessons, and it was from its third-floor living quarters that he would stare out at the children playing below, wishing to join them. The only difference from his past is now Beauregard’s banner adorned the top of the keep.

De Puce spotted more differences from the city he had known so well, continuing to survey the courtyard. Where once there were stalls for tanners, armors, and fletchers along the walls, multiple of each shop had been constructed. Also, newer buildings for what looked like a brewery and a new inn where there had once been a brothel. He also noticed rows of new hovels, all of which seemed occupied. Father would be incented that money was wasted on living conditions for the poor like this. However, De Puce’s eyes spotted a building he had long tried to expunge from his memory.

To call it a building was giving it more credit than it deserved. It was nothing more than a rundown shack. For years there was talk of tearing it down, and some use for it was found one way or the other. Now standing here all these long years later, De Puce could not help but wish he had torn it down himself. Softly he could hear a woman screaming. NO! he thought, she could still not be alive after all of this time.

Her screams softly fell away with the wind as more memories of his past came flooding back to him. De Puce saw a tall boy running through the yard, chased by a sickly smaller child trying to keep pace. The smaller child’s gait was awkward and malformed, his breathing labored more so than that of the older boy. De Puce saw where his older brother Issac had fought off three bullies he had caught throwing rotten tomatoes at De Puce. Even though they had sworn vows to his family, being the second son of their lordship created hardships in De Puce’s life that his brother had never needed to endure.

Standing in this courtyard had brought back all the jeers he had silenced when he left to claim Seaport as his own. However, one last ghost had come to visit him. Not far from where he stood, a younger De Puce was standing. He had grown somewhat from the ghost of the sickly boy running to keep up with his brother; however, he was still small for his age. The pale youth stood by his brother, seated on his horse. Their father had left the previous winter with most of their forces to support Lord Aneys’ claim to the throne. Now he was calling for his son Issac to join him with another round of reinforcements.

Issac always looked gallant in his armor, not the mismatched thing that De Puce resembled whenever he needed to put on his battle garb. The reinforcements were already leaving the Keep, and Issac was sitting on top of his stead giving his brother last-minute encouragement.

“Listen to the advisors, they are there to help us.”

“They distrust me and look down on me. I should go, and you should stay to protect the Keep.”

“Would if I could, brother. You will show them that you are to be listened to. Father, Lord Beauregard, and especially King Aneys needs our support. Stay strong until I return.”

“When will that be?”

“Soon and when I return….” His brother looked into the distance as if some idea had just come over him.

“Yes…when I return, the changes will be made. They can wait no longer.” Issac was talking to himself more than he was talking to De Puce, some new revelation had entered his mind, and De Puce knew his brother well enough to know that it would not leave his brother’s mind until Issac had been seen through.

“Till then brother!” At that, Issac reared his horse, and the two charged through the main gate. De Puce never saw his brother or father again, both would be slain fighting for King Aneys, who was somewhere across the Whispering Sea.

“Goodbye…” an older and more melancholy De Puce said, looking out the main gate. Whatever doubt remained with him was gone, if it was the last thing he did, De Puce would honor Issac and all those who fought with him. De Puce was going to bring King Aneys home.

“My Lord?” De Puce turns at the words spoken to him. A middle-aged man in a fine tunic was standing beside him. The man’s salt and pepper hair sat in tight curls on his head, and his beard had become more grey than black. Emblazed on his tunic was Beauregard’s sigil. Ados wasn’t a tall man, nor had De Puce remembered him for being much of a fighter, but he made up for both in his loyalty to Lord Beauregard.

“Sir Ados, why has my welcome been so unsatisfactory?”

“You should have sent word My Lord, we would have had a feast ready for you.”

“Too many questions would have been raised if word of my coming was known. We should talk of these matters in private.”

“Yes, we shall, please come with me.”

Walking into the Keep was like stepping back in time. De Puce felt like he was fourteen again, standing there in the main entrance. Off to his right was the great hall where his family ate their meals and hosted many prominent guests. Up the stairs would lead them to the parlors and the family bedrooms. What once had been full of the red and black colors of House De Puce now showed blue and grey of House Beauregard. A joyful atmosphere filled the Keep halls that had never been present when De Puce’s family lived there. De Puce’s father ensured that no joy was to ever be found within these walls. The people show him a love that we never achieved.

“Right this way, my Lord.” Ados’ voice broke De Puce from his gaze into the past.

“You don’t think I remember the way to my old Parlor. I may be older than you, but I still have my wits about me!” De Puce directed his anger at Ados, who took the jab in stride.

“Apologies my Lord. I will lead the way.” Ados replied dutifully

His master has taught him well on how to handle a nobleman. “Yes, do so. I fear we have dallied for too long as it is.” The two men walked up the main staircase to the second floor, broken into many different chambers and meeting rooms. Ados took De Puce past many rooms where he had entertained noblemen in his past. De Puce was thankful that Ados continued past one room on the right side of the floor. He was certain when he walked by he could hear a young girl crying inside. No, she wouldn’t be young now that was 16 years ago, she would be a woman grown with multiple of her own whelps running about. They finally came to the great Parlor at the end of the hall, where Ados ushered De Puce.

The room used to be filled with the stuffed carcasses of animals that De Puce’s father had killed, along with many antlers from the deer that had roamed their woods years ago. Now many tapestries hung on the walls of the large room. Some featured Beauregard as a young man standing over a recent hunt he or one of his men had captured. The rest show Beauregard and his men’s victory in battle. And to think he does not display a tapestry of him bending the knee to King Lionheart. That would not fit well with the character you are trying to create now, my Lordllying.

Ados closes the door behind him. “You should have sent word my Lord we would have been better prepared to see you. The Night’s Watchmen keep the gates closed. There have been reports of bandits roaming these parts, so we need to take every precaution to keep the women and children safe.”

Does he dare scold me, this impudent jumpstart! “I rode all the way here from Seaguard, and not once did I come across any bandits on the road, good sir! If they are so ruthless, how was one man like myself not stopped and captured? How am I to believe that is why you keep your gates so tightly guarded.”

“The gods must have favored my Lord on his journey and given you good fortune on the road then.”

De Puce spit on the ground, “That’s what I think of your gods!” He spit again, “All my life I am told to bend and scrape to them, and what have they done for me! Made me the deformed second son of some little keep in the middle of the Realm.”

“And now you control one of the strongest seaports in the Realm and have thousands of loyal subjects who live to serve you, myself included.”

Ah yes, I am sure he lives to serve me. He would no sooner put a knife in my back if his master told him to. “The gods did not give me that. The King did that rather than take my head for betraying him and fighting for his brother. Yet what do I do to thank him? In the dead of night, I ride halfway across my lands to commit treason against him.”

“It is only considered treason if we fail.”

“Which we will if we do not act quickly Ados. Too long have we sat idly by while we let the other game players move into position. For god sake, Ados the Prince has already left the capital! He has taken his personal guard with him to Stonebridge. Over five thousand men flock to his banners, and more join each day. We will not have the strength to fight the King’s army and the Prince’s men. We need to send word to Aneys to start his journey home!”

“My Lord, we must express caution. We cannot be too hasty.”

“Too hasty! If it was up to Beauregard, he wouldn’t make a move until the Price’s heirs have already claimed the throne!”

“My Lord…”

“No, do not interrupt me! I AM YOUR LIEGE LORD! To long have I been pushed aside while your lot makes plans. Look what those plans have gotten us. Both my father and my bro…brother are dead and for what to show.”

“Issac’s death will not be in vain.” Said a voice from the back of the room. A tall figure walks silently through the room. Stepping into the light created by the fire, De Puce could see Beauregard had aged considerably since their last meeting. Ten years will do that to a man, I can only imagine what he thinks the years have done to my face. Beauregard had been De Puce’s subordinate for over fifteen years, yet even after all that time, he still commanded respect from De Puce. De Puce was ten years his junior but to look at the two men you would assume De Puce was twice Beauregard’s age. Beauregard had a head full of thick hair compared to De Puces thinning hair. “My Lord, I am honored that you have come all this way.” Beauregard bowed graciously toward De Puce.

His salt and pepper hair had significantly more salt than when De Puce saw him last. The Beauregard widow’s peak was just as prominent on him as on his father and grandfather. De Puce could not help but think of the times Issac and him would make fun of Beauregard for it behind his back. Where De Puce has a pointed face, Beauregard’s feature a much more elegant and befitting a lord. Now that De Puce notices, he has a goatee, which only makes him more handsome.

“Beauregard. So nice of you to join us, I was beginning to think that you were predisposed for the evening.”

“You should have sent word, My Lord, we could have sent riders to meet you.”

Is he commanding me? “Sending word ahead of time would have been too risky. People would have questioned why a Liege Lord would be going to an underling’s keep” Maybe that will help him remember who is in charge here.

“Ah yes, I remember that the people spent most of their days concerned with my whereabouts while I was at Seaguard.”

How dare him! Always needing to jest and put me down, well, the people do care about my whereabouts! “It is his Lord’s right to go where he pleases and how he pleases!” Shouted De Puce smacking his hand down on the table. “I do not have to answer to the…the…A woman screams in the distance…THE LIKES OF YOU!”

Ados stiffed at the outburst, but Beauregard stayed as still as a statue letting the verbal barrage wash over him like a rock letting the sea wash over it. The room fell silent as De Puce tried to catch his breath. A woman screams in the distance…no, not here….a pain in De Puce’s chest grows….No, not now. De Puce falls to one knee his hands desperately clutching the oak table in front of him. The two men rush to him and put a chair for him to sit in. The screaming lessens….yes, let me be witch.

“My lord are you alright?” Beauregard asks with genuine sincerity.

“Yes…yes, I am fine. I just need a minute.” The Lord sits there, trying to catch his breath. A serving girl enters the room from the servants’ entrance. Oh no, how much has she heard or seen?

“Wine and water for our Lord. Get the Maester too!”

“NO, No…I am ok…I need something to quench my thirst.” Beauregard motions for the serving girl to fetch the refreshments. De Puce sits there for some time, breathing heavily, neither of the men dare break the silence.

“My Lord, if I must, I feel it would be best if you rest up in one of the rooms. Take my room, I insist.”

“No, this has gone on too long. We need to act.” De Puce sits back in his chair, his eyes staring at some useable goal just standing out of arms reach. “Yes” he finally spoke, “It must be done.”

“My Lord, what must be done?”

“Our plan. Too long have we waited, too long have we put off sending for our King. The rightful Lord needs to reclaim his chair. We will send word….” Too long have I let your ghost haunt me Issac.

“Ah uh,” Beauregard holds a finger as the kitchen’s side door opens. The serving girl was back with their cups of wine. She placed an elegant silver cup in front of each of the men and put the remaining jug of wine on the table De Puce was sitting at. “As I was saying my Lord, I think a summer tournament would be a great activity for our two holdfasts to compete in.” Beauregard injected into the silent room.

“Yes… Yes, I believe you are correct. It would give the peasants something to look forward to and a reason for our men to train during the next two months.” The wench poured three glasses and handed them to the men in the room. De Puce drained his in one gulp and refilled it while Beauregard took a small sip of his and Ados barely touched his. The wench put down the wine jar and quietly left the room.

Once the serving door was closed, Beauregard turned his attention to De Puce. “I agree with you my Lord. We must send word at once to King Aneys, he needs to know he still has friends here who are ready to support him upon his return.”

“Wa—yes, yes, I was saying that.” Replied De Puce, “Word is the Prince left in the middle of the night and took all of his personal guards with him. Then not two weeks later Bridgeport announced it is looking to host some tourney that all the lords and ladies of the lands are invited too. Something is happening in the North I am telling you, and the longer we sit here twiddling away the days the closer we will be faced with fighting a newly victorious king!

“Mayhaps”

“Mayhaps? Do tell how else do you see it playing out?”

“Well, if the King and Prince want to fight amongst each other, I say let them. And once they have bloodied half of the Realm, who should appear but a new challenger, one with fresh troops and twice the numbers of the other two splintered armies. We will be seen as the heroes who sowed the Realm together, the true King of the Realm who was mistakenly cast out years ago.”

“An army twice the size? Does it mean the marriage pact has been agreed upon?”

“Nothing is certain yet, my lord, but I believe we will receive word that Prince Gunther will be wedded to the Countess Naehna within a moon’s turn.”

“Good with the forces from Drocan, no one will be able to stop the King’s return.”

“No, but it is of great concern that we use this time to ensure all our affairs are in order.”

“Well, I have let my council know about our agreement. If anything were to happen to me before Mathos became of age, you would assume the duties of regent until his name day.”

“Good. Seeing as I have no legitimate heirs of my own, my lands will fall into yours or Mathos’ possession upon my passing. Once again, the house of High Hearth will belong to your family.”

Yes, and once it does, I will tear it down brick by brick. No more will this Keep haunt me.

Lord Beauregard stood and filled each of their goblets. “Come men, and let us toast our rightful king.” Each of the three lords stood around each other and raised their goblets. “To King Aneys, me he live for all the long days ahead of us!”

“King Aneys!” Declared Ados

“For King Aneys and the Realm!” I will avenge you Issac. De Puce drained his goblet in one gulp. Now the wine he had been drinking began to make his head fuzzy. He smiled at the other men as he lowered his goblet and set it on the table. Beauregard reached across the table and softly patted De Puce’s right wrist while smiling at him. “My Lord,” he says. He then puts his full weight on De Puce’s wrist, pinning it to the table. Ados pulls a concealed knife from his jerkin and plunges it into De Puce’s left hand. Pinned to the table, De Puce begins to scream but is cut off as a string is pulled tightly around his neck, cutting off all oxygen entering his lungs.

De Puce struggles to fight off his attackers but cannot shake the men off him. Panic sets in as the room and his world beings to spin around him. No, not here! Not like this!

De Puce’s knees give out, and he falls to the ground with both arms raised above him. Arching his head back, he sees the serving girl from before holding both ends of a thin string in her hands. De Puce gasps for air but watches the world go black around him as the three people stand over him. In the distance, he can hear someone laughing, and then finally, out of all the chaos, he hears Issac behind him whisper into his ear, “Welcome home brother.”