“The Meeting with Leo~pard”
“The court of Callen is now in session.” the lord spoke so vividly, “King Leo~pard of Haster, you have come to my court by my request. Thank you for granting me your company.”
“Yes, I have traveled far to be in the court of the High Lord himself.” The king spoke softly in his usual manner. “So, I know you are a man of quick business so why did you call me?”
“I have called you to my court for an offer that may bring drastic change in your authority over your kingdom.” Juno as always went directly to the point. “You see the Lord of Cratares, High Lord Drimfeld, and I may go to war soon. I have received reports his people are treated like filth, I can not allow this.”
“Do you have proof?!” Leo~pard was in shock to hear this about a High Lord, they had the most magnificent kingdoms in the entire world… or so he thought. “To say something so terrible about another High Lord is madness there is no way that a High Lord lets his people live in poverty. This would have got out sooner!”
“I have proof. Do you remember how I get my information? Are you going against my word? For I have never lied once to you or any other king.” The lord was calm he had expected a response similar to this. “I got a report from one of the travelers of Cratares, one under my rule, he stated that…maybe you should see it…DEFENDER!!!”
At once a woman carry a huge sword came running through the doors. She was in the uniform of a Royal Callen Defender, a bright shining chest plate made of lannder, a marble-like substance, a helm comprised of tempered iron, an amethyst colored cape with the crest of Callen on it, and a huge jewel around her neck on a silver chain to represent her rank.
“Yes my Lord?” she spoke sudden and to the point.
“Bring me Traveler X’s Report.”
“I will at once my Lord.”
She went through the doors as quickly as she came in. After a few seconds she came back, put the report down on the table before Callen, and responded,
“Task finished my Lord.”
“Dismissed.”, Callen muttered.
Immediately, she left the room as rapidly as before. This was the way of the Callena soldier, fast and to the point.
Leo~pard examined the report. It was leather covered and done in fine parchment. You could tell it was important by looking at the decorative style of writing on the cover.
“Let us see…” Callen opened it and began to point. “Read from here to here.”
Leo~pard read this:
Traveler X, Date: 23rd of September, 34967 year AHB (After History Began)
I was riding my horse out into the country. That was when I received word by a village messenger that His High Lord Callen had an assignment to make my rounds. I, of course, had too.
So I headed to the
next nearest City as always. It just happened to be the capital city of the
continent Cratares. The city was called (In usual manner, in a High Lord’s city
it was named after him) DrimfeldBurg. I was quite surprised as I approached the
gates, they were quite fancy. I beckoned to the guards, “I seek refuge at the
local
The inspector was a short, plump, little man with big spectacles and a smashed nose. I did not enjoy him prodding me and taking devices, such as magnets, over me. But of course he did anyhow. He cleared me and I went in. As always a High Lord’s city was beautiful, with the palace set in the middle.
The palace was smaller than Callen’s but still quite big. It had a marvelous entrance hall which you could see at the gates, beautiful statues and all the things you would expect to see… Then something caught my eye, when the palace reached a certain level of height it didn’t have the first window. It was quite odd because there were also no balconies or any source of viewing the outside… It made me ponder how they could see… So they must be using a source of energy.
Yes that was it you didn’t see lannder burning much. I did know that when it burned it emitted a great light. It was marble like, durable, light, pierce resistant, and fashionable. I knew that Callen’s military wore it as armor.
Then I started to wonder why they wouldn’t want to look at so beautiful a city. Then I looked down the alleys, the ones you could see down most were blocked with archways and plants… Then I knew why they didn’t want to look. At the market there were the merchants who were well dressed but every single person other than those selling were ragged, very ragged. There was a single pathway that led into the rest of the city from the main street it was narrow and vulgar looking… I went down for curiosity… I was in great shock… If MY High Lord Callen saw this he would have went to Drimfeld himself, and stabbed the bastard with the royal sword! In the streets there were vile alchemists, trying to sell there abominations as medical treatments, there were rat eyes, human tongues, pickled intestines, and fetuses. Of course the witches bought these I went on my way…
At the corner of every street I was more and more and got ever more depressed, beggars at every corner was common. Guards and even honorable Defenders were out in the streets beating the peasants. Most were drunk, some were merely hellish. I out of anger killed two guards trying to rape a woman. They were drunk so it was no problem. As I was leaving the woman stopped me, she was trying to thank me but she was sobbing to hard… I asked her why she did not leave. She replied if the guards ever seen anyone leaving they would kill them. I was upset at this. Then I noticed she had a child. A boy, she asked me to take him…
Leo~pard stopped there. Callen said, to the point, “You will ally with me?”
Leo~pard sighed and said, “I will have to think this over.” He was pale. “Excellency, give me board and let me send messengers to my people and court. I will then decide whether to ally with you or not.”
“Thank you, Leo~pard, you are a noble ally. But I must have your help, you have the world’s fourth best navy.” Callen drew breathe, “The court of Callen is dismissed!”
Leo~pard spent the rest of the week at the palace waiting for a response from the messengers who went to the Kingdom of Haster, Land of Leo~pard, soon to be taken by Callen…