Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-17114085-20160205120927/@comment-17114085-20160208194153

(@Pelagius: What do you mean? They'd be like any other fort and village. The fort would be inhabited by something, either a bandit tribe, a necromancer group, etc. The village would be a wall-less settlement.)

King Korst, Haki and Galos left Windhelm with 500 soldiers right behind them. Because of the size of the army, their progress was slow. It took them a week to march south to Kynesgrove.

It was midday of the 28th of Rain's Hand when they finally saw the village on the mountainside.

"What is your plan, my king?" White-Eye asked.

"We will march to the Lord's Keep and see my uncle." Korst replied. They continued their march towards the village, easily catching the attention of the locals.

It wasn't long before a group of men rode forth to meet them north of Kynesgrove. At the forefront of the group was Lord Dathman Steamscorch, Korst's uncle.

"Uncle." Korst called out to him. "I missed your presence at my coronation."

"Sadly, dear nephew, I could not make it." Dathman told him. He had only brought near 100 guards with him to meet his nephew. Doubtless that the rest were preparing for combat in the village. "I heard what happened to Jayred. It made me wish that I had been there to see his head roll."

"Yes, I would have given you a great view of it." Korst said ominously. In his mind, his uncle was a traitor just like all the others.

Dathman sighed. "Korst, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I declared sovereignty for Kynesgrove because Jayred was regent. He was a greedy and dishonorable man. He was stealing money from our mines and unless I bared him access to them, there was no way to stop him. Kynesgrove would have gone bankrupt if he kept his filthy paws on it. My leaving was not a slight towards you."

"So you say." Korst said, not believing him.

Dathman dismounted from his horse. "I served your father loyally. I was one of his Bear Berserkers." He looked at Haki. "You were my commander during my early years." He then looked back up to the young king. "And when my training was completed he made me one of his generals. Nephew, let me serve you as loyally as I served King Engar before you. The sickness that was Jayred is gone, there is no reason for Kynesgrove to remain independent any longer." He knelt in front of Korst and drew his sword. "My sword is yours, my king."

Korst dismounted from his horse. "Just like mother, you have a Silver Tongue. What you speak is the truth. Jayred was a sickness, and he is gone. There is truly no reason for you or any of the others to remain independent." He walked up to his uncle. "Yet, uncle, you have committed the terrible crime to treason. Why should I believe your traitor's words."

Haki and Galos both dismounted and approached with a handful of Bear Berserkers. Dathman's men kept their hands on their swords, but didn't draw them.

Dathman held up his sword with both hands, lifting it to the young king. "I am truly sorry, my liege. I have indeed slighted you. Yet I did it to protect my village from Jayred, so that one day it may serve you as loyally as it served your father. I know that my father, your grandfather, would have done the same in my place. I beg your forgiveness, so that I may prove myself to you, my king."

Korst took the sword. The flattery coming from Dathman was different than it was coming from Jayred. The former regent's words had been slimy and filled with deception. Dathman's swords sounded sweet and rung as true as his honor. "Very well uncle. I will see it in my heart to show you mercy. I will give you the chance to prove your loyalty with your actions, not your words."

"I thank you, my king. I knew that you were wise and benevolent ruler, just like your father." Dathman said. He was about to get up, but Korst placed a hand on his shoulder. "Nephew?"

"I said that I would give you the chance to use your actions to prove your loyalty. But how can you do so when you rely so much on that Silver Tongue of yours?" He asked. The young king motioned for Haki and the others to move closer.