A new Redboot Guardsman

[budgie1]

He lay on his bunk in the Redboot barracks, gazing at a spider tracking it’s way across the ceiling. Its apparently aimless meanderings reminding him of the path that his own life had taken since leaving his, for want of a better word, home.

The youngest son of a fairly insignificant duke, life had become a brutal exercise in the use of weapons. He would never inherit and from an early age was at odds with his many siblings, which in the harsh world of the remote dukedom far north of Dasar meant learning to ‘do’ before he was ‘done to’. That ultimately was why he was here in Daris, having ‘done’ so effectively that his oldest brother, groomed to be the next duke and as brutal a bully as was their father, would now need the services of a necromancer if he were to be able to claim his inheritance.

So it was that the young Arris Vendark ventured forth into the wider world. At great speed and with less than scant preparation. In spite of the justification, he was plagued with guilt over his brother’s death and for a few years sought to find peace in holy orders. With maturity had come an acceptance of his wild nature, and with the gentle clerics he learned to control the violence that had been cultivated in him by his upbringing.

His time with the clerics came to an abrupt end when a family retainer on a rare journey south, recognised him. Luckily, he saw the approach of his father’s thralls and guessed, quite rightly, that if he stayed he would be ‘done to’ with a vengeance. It was a close run chase but several weeks later he found himself in the city of Daris where in order not to live the remainder of his life as an outlaw, he had attended the Child Queens court and pleaded his case. The finding was in his favour and he had hopes, at last, of leading a peaceful existence.

His family hired an assassin.

So far they had hired five assassins. It was getting rather expensive for them but the last one he had killed was over two years ago. Since then he had changed his name to Rupert Farquar-Smythe and adopted the manners of a fop. It had seemed to work and ‘Rupert’ wished to save his family the constant expense of fresh assassins, he had become a kindly fellow.

On arriving at Daris he had been impressed with the village, it’s diversity of inhabitants and the Redboot Guards. A demonstration to the Redboot officers of his ability to handle himself and he was given a trial as a guardsman. He had hopes, at last, of leading a stable if not peaceful existence.

Then he met the delightful little shifter with the impossibly blue eyes.

[budgie1]

A rare smile made his face look much younger than his twenty-four years as he swung off of his bunk and pulled on the red boots that helped define his present occupation. ‘Enualla’, lovely name for a lovely little…little what? Conventionally he supposed she would be an elf but shifters were what they were at the time. He had in this last few years on occasion ‘gone to bed with a girl and awoke next to an old dragon’ after a hard night’s drinking; this however could be the real thing; he could wake up next to a minotaur or drider. He shuddered, or even a mind flayer.

Another thought crossed his mind, “what if she had been sent by his family?” A shifter would be an ideal assassin and a female assassin could get close before striking, really close. Part of him was thinking “What a way to go”. Another part was thinking “You’re getting paranoiac”. Of one thing he was certain, he was not about to let the stark, day to day existence that he had experienced since leaving his homeland permanently colour his future existence. He would strive for happiness and someone to share it with. At this point in time he could think of no one more desirable to share his life with than Enualla.

On his way to exit the barracks he fell in beside his namesake Guardsman Rupert Feard. Coincidently they had both joined the Redboots on the same day. He liked Rupert and was sorry that he had unthinkingly alienated him on their first meeting. “Do you mind if we patwol together Wupert?” he asked “Yes Farquar-Smythe” was the abrupt reply, “I do mind” and Feard turned away to leave when Sgt. Aloscia from the other side of the room called over to them. “Ah! I was hoping to catch you two before you started your patrols, I think it would be a good idea if, for the next few days you patrolled together, you bring different skills to the ‘job’ and can learn to appreciate each others abilities.”

The patrol had been conducted in silence punctuated by conversations with various members of the village community. Both men were adult enough not to bring their animosity into the open and they received several congratulations on their new occupation from the villagers. Just outside Peribo’s store, to Rupert Farquar-Smythe’s delight, they ran into Enualla.

Listening to his fellow guardsman talking to the lovely little elf it became evident to Rupert Feard that his companion was completely smitten and he smiled inwardly. “Right, you pompous, stuck up, prig” he thought “Got you. Named after my betters was I? Your suffering starts now”. “Enualla, may I speak to you privately?” he asked and led her away from the group outside the store.

[Redder]

As Rupert Feard lead Enualla from the store into the Dancing Daggers, she smiled gently towards Rupert Farquar-Smythe looking at him through her large blue eyes. She entered the Dancing Dagger with Mr Feard whom turned to her and said:

“So, you are the great Enualla I have been hearing Rupert go on and on about.”

Enualla simply looked upon Rupert Feard with a slightly distrusting stance. Brushing her white locks from her face she looked upon the face of Mr Feard with her charismatic blue eyes and simply replied:

“Rupert the Dragon Slayer is a hero of Daris and in my opinion is the most bravest of Redboots I have ever met. I have seen with my own eyes as Rupert Farquar-Smythe slayed the Green Dragon of the West and the Sand Dragon of the Pale Moon Island. With a true gentlemen such as him, I feel safe by his side and there will be nothing you can say that would persuade me otherwise.”

Rupert Feard leaned forward with a grievous smile on his face.

Nothing had prepared Enualla for what he was to say next….

[budgie1]

“All that you have said is true” he smiled “And he is destined for great things. He is well connected in the Child Queens Court, he has had religious training and I am sure that our officers will be grooming him for high command.” He leaned closer to Enualla. “How do you think a liaison with a shifter will go down with our officers? Do you really wish to hold him back, admittedly through no fault of your own?” He shook his head sadly “Do you think enough of him to give him up, for his own good? Severing your friendship now would save much heartache in the future, for both of you.”

Rupert Feard watched his words impact on the little elf with the force of arrows. He almost flinched, and wished that this plan had never come into his head. His pride had been badly wounded by Farquar-Smythe’s callous denigration of his name and although he was improving daily in the use of arms, he was as yet not competent enough to be able to challenge him physically. He was not however, a dishonourable individual and this uncharacteristically sly plan was contrary to his blunt, forthright nature. Besides, looking at the reaction of the elf, he realised that his words had wounded someone who was absolutely blameless for his pain. He was just about to redress his thoughtless actions when Farquar-Smythe entered the building.

Enualla gave a little wail of grief and ran from the Dancing Dagger closely followed, after a shocked look at Feard, by Farquar-Smythe. He followed her through the village’s north gate, loosing ground all the way due to his heavy armour. By the time he was in the Eves of the Forest, Rupert had completely lost her and knew that she had changed form. The only attribute that she could not change was the deep blue colour of her eyes, but staring into the eyes of every creature in the vicinity was completely out of the question. He spun round to the sound of the creak of armour behind him to see Rupert Feard run through the gates.

Feard took in the scene and immediately guessed what had happened. “Enualla” he bellowed desperately, “Enualla, I was wrong. Oh gods! Come back here and let me explain, please come back.”

There was no reply and even the forest creatures seemed to be more silent than usual. Both men scanned the forest intently; then Feard turned to see Farquar-Smythe unlimbering his deadly axe and moving towards him. “You were wrong, you want to explain. Explain what?” he snarled.

Realising that he was in real danger; believing that he would be attacked whatever his explanation, Feard ran back into the village, leaving his colleague to continue his fruitless search of the forest.

[Redder]

Enualla runs deep into the forest after transforming into a badger to mask her path.

After running for what seemed an eternity, she stopped, transformed back to her elven form and reached slowly into her pack. She pulled out the white rose that Rupert had once given her, it's petals wilting in sadness.

She looks about, softly sobbing in the Wilderness.

"Oh Rupert, what will become of us?"

[budgie1]

Brilliant Illustrations mate.