Post by Baron Sir Katzu the Farquestor on Dec 14, 2012 12:08:23 GMT -5
Sir Katzu watched the Damsel Victoria ponder her next move. He was looking for a sign; some indication of what she was thinking that might give him insight into her thought process.
"You'll never figure me out, Sir Paladin, so quit trying," Victoria said, her head still down and intent on the board and the game.
"Who said I was trying to, my Lady?" Katzu smiled and eyed the board in case she looked up, observing his position.
"Sir Paladin, my gender is accustomed to being misunderstood and therefore underestimated by men. That the Lady required we play chess and other courtly games was not by accident; we are to be a compliment to the knights we attend, after all." She advanced her knight up the board, and then added, "just as in this situation, wherein my knight is now in position to strike, but is also protected from harm by his bishop," she gestured to a bishop on the far side of the board, "and his queen," she completed the thought, gesturing to her queen directly behind the knight some distance away.
Katzu was about to speak when a messenger bearing the Ducal crest and the heraldry of Duke Badger appeared a respectable distance away. Signaling the messenger over, Katzu looked back at the Damsel, "Never a dull moment, my Lady. I beg your pardon."
Nodding and gesturing, Damsel Victoria said, "I am here to support your holy mission, Sir Paladin."
The messenger approached, "I bear an urgent message from His Grace the Duke Honey Badger, M'Lord Baron."
Katzu stood up from his chair, remembering the first words of his vow, 'When the clarion call is sounded, I will ride out and fight in the name of liege and Lady.' "I am ever at the Duke's service. What message does His Grace have for a humble knight of the realm?"
The messenger cleared his throat, his mind calling up the words Duke Badger had made him memorize. "I, Duke Honey Badger, call upon the service of the Baron Sir Katzu Farquestor to have a care for the security of the realm and its monarchy. Your dedication to the security of the realm has been noted and we reward you in this way. Your acceptance of this honor would do the land good, and I would be most pleased. Should you accept, assemble a host loyal to King and Country and meet me at the Ducal Keep with all due haste."
Katzu considered these words for but a moment before realizing that the Damsel Victoria had silently rose from her chair and positioned herself behind him in silent but steadfast support. "Inform His Grace I will attend him presently, and I will do as he commands." With that the messenger bowed and left. Katzu stepped into the hallway and called for his sword and armor.
"I knew this day would come, Sir Paladin. Your first trial!" Victoria beamed with holy purpose.
Katzu went into his library to recover a book as retainers came in bearing arms and armor for the task at hand. "This isn't the first time I've defended a monarch, Damsel, but thank you for your support."
"Forgive my enthusiasm, Sir Paladin, but as a Damsel of the Lady we do not often get to see the instruments of Her Will fulfilling their vows until we are at their side. However in the convents of the Lady we constantly hear the stories of heroism and valor."
Katzu stopped in his tracks, signaled his retainers to stop with a hand, and approached the Damsel Victoria. "Damsel, the world of your storybooks and your convent is far removed from the world you dwell in now. Good fights good over points of view or minute variances in doctrine, evil roams from the forest floor to the highest Wizard's tower. Sometimes it is impossible to tell one from the other, as the greatest villians are often the most wholesome-looking, and vice versa. Monsters of all shapes and sizes crawl from the trees and the waters and the deep places to devour Humanity whole and when you die - for we all must die, even heroes - due to the foulest of blasphemies there is no surety that you will stay that way."
Victoria took a step back, gasped, and placed a hand at her mouth. "That's... That's horrible!"
Katzu nodded grimly. "It IS horrible, fair Damsel, but that is why the Lady of Light cares for us as she does; because of all of the powers in the world, the two that are the most powerful are faith and hope. Humanity can be starved, stabbed, inflicted with every disease imaginable, subjected to every torture and torment in the planes, but so long as they have hope or faith, they are unbeatable. This is why every other race and force in the planes go out of their way to not only kill us, but to break our spirit. Nothing inspires faith like a virtuous and chaste woman sure in her belief, and nothing ensures hope more than a warrior willing to face all hazards to keep the light from dying entirely from this dark world." He waved his retainers to resume their work, which they did admirably.
"You'll never figure me out, Sir Paladin, so quit trying," Victoria said, her head still down and intent on the board and the game.
"Who said I was trying to, my Lady?" Katzu smiled and eyed the board in case she looked up, observing his position.
"Sir Paladin, my gender is accustomed to being misunderstood and therefore underestimated by men. That the Lady required we play chess and other courtly games was not by accident; we are to be a compliment to the knights we attend, after all." She advanced her knight up the board, and then added, "just as in this situation, wherein my knight is now in position to strike, but is also protected from harm by his bishop," she gestured to a bishop on the far side of the board, "and his queen," she completed the thought, gesturing to her queen directly behind the knight some distance away.
Katzu was about to speak when a messenger bearing the Ducal crest and the heraldry of Duke Badger appeared a respectable distance away. Signaling the messenger over, Katzu looked back at the Damsel, "Never a dull moment, my Lady. I beg your pardon."
Nodding and gesturing, Damsel Victoria said, "I am here to support your holy mission, Sir Paladin."
The messenger approached, "I bear an urgent message from His Grace the Duke Honey Badger, M'Lord Baron."
Katzu stood up from his chair, remembering the first words of his vow, 'When the clarion call is sounded, I will ride out and fight in the name of liege and Lady.' "I am ever at the Duke's service. What message does His Grace have for a humble knight of the realm?"
The messenger cleared his throat, his mind calling up the words Duke Badger had made him memorize. "I, Duke Honey Badger, call upon the service of the Baron Sir Katzu Farquestor to have a care for the security of the realm and its monarchy. Your dedication to the security of the realm has been noted and we reward you in this way. Your acceptance of this honor would do the land good, and I would be most pleased. Should you accept, assemble a host loyal to King and Country and meet me at the Ducal Keep with all due haste."
Katzu considered these words for but a moment before realizing that the Damsel Victoria had silently rose from her chair and positioned herself behind him in silent but steadfast support. "Inform His Grace I will attend him presently, and I will do as he commands." With that the messenger bowed and left. Katzu stepped into the hallway and called for his sword and armor.
"I knew this day would come, Sir Paladin. Your first trial!" Victoria beamed with holy purpose.
Katzu went into his library to recover a book as retainers came in bearing arms and armor for the task at hand. "This isn't the first time I've defended a monarch, Damsel, but thank you for your support."
"Forgive my enthusiasm, Sir Paladin, but as a Damsel of the Lady we do not often get to see the instruments of Her Will fulfilling their vows until we are at their side. However in the convents of the Lady we constantly hear the stories of heroism and valor."
Katzu stopped in his tracks, signaled his retainers to stop with a hand, and approached the Damsel Victoria. "Damsel, the world of your storybooks and your convent is far removed from the world you dwell in now. Good fights good over points of view or minute variances in doctrine, evil roams from the forest floor to the highest Wizard's tower. Sometimes it is impossible to tell one from the other, as the greatest villians are often the most wholesome-looking, and vice versa. Monsters of all shapes and sizes crawl from the trees and the waters and the deep places to devour Humanity whole and when you die - for we all must die, even heroes - due to the foulest of blasphemies there is no surety that you will stay that way."
Victoria took a step back, gasped, and placed a hand at her mouth. "That's... That's horrible!"
Katzu nodded grimly. "It IS horrible, fair Damsel, but that is why the Lady of Light cares for us as she does; because of all of the powers in the world, the two that are the most powerful are faith and hope. Humanity can be starved, stabbed, inflicted with every disease imaginable, subjected to every torture and torment in the planes, but so long as they have hope or faith, they are unbeatable. This is why every other race and force in the planes go out of their way to not only kill us, but to break our spirit. Nothing inspires faith like a virtuous and chaste woman sure in her belief, and nothing ensures hope more than a warrior willing to face all hazards to keep the light from dying entirely from this dark world." He waved his retainers to resume their work, which they did admirably.