Of Death and Life (OPEN)

He was the proper king, of that there was no doubt. No, he had worked hard as the son of William of Bennett to conceal his plan to a t. He had played the proper part of a grieving son, making sure that no one suspected that he had poisoned his father with the ingredients that a witch may use to seal a spell. He prayed each night for his father's death to the old gods, the gods that his mother had taught him to honor.

What he had not prayed for was the death of his mother that soon followed. He was grief stricken more than the court saw by day, crying to himself at night. But he was king. Kings did not let their men see them cry. They were strong, showing their country the firm hand it deserved. At night he would come to this tomb to think about how he would run things the next day.

King Stuart Bennett had seldom time to think on his own.

As he gazed upon the words that sat on his fathers tomb "Porro vita quod sapientia" which meant in the Latin tongue long life and wisdom, he let out a hused chuckle. Yes, there had once been long life in the family of the Bennett's. Now he only had to wonder which mercenary would end his life first.

A young knight slivered as he moved closer to the small fire infront of him, his older brother was out hunting for even a few rabbits to eat. He longed for his home, but being an exile meant he could never go back. The only chance he and his brother had was to find a king that would allow them to serve, but the kingdoms they had been too would not take them. He knew someone was in the tomb only a few feet away, the man had came silently only just a little while ago. His curiousaty was getting the better of him and he slowly moved closer to look in at the man.

He may not have been as successful a warrior as his father, but Stuart Bennett knew when he was being watched. As a king, he was use to having men with him to protect him but that didn't mean that he wasn't capable of defending himself. Pulling the sword from his side that once belonged to King Irvine, Stuart walked from the tomb. "Who the bloody hell is there?"

His voice was cold, matching the weather outside. He could see his breath and pulled the heavy elk fur closer to his body, "Step into the light whoever ye may be!"

Jay bit his lip nervously, he hadn't meant to be seen. He and his brother could be thrown in jail for resting in this place, but it seemed it had no other choice. He swallowed nervously and stepped out into the light, his sword over by the campfire. "I... I meant no harm good sir, i was just curous... I did not mean to...." Jay shivered hard at the cold eyes.

((My facebook isn't letting me on at the moment. 0.0))

Wade pointed his sword at Jay's neck, the tip resting right on his Adam's apple. He looked at him with cold eyes. "Who the bloody hell are you? This is a private place, known only to the royal family of Luminiege. How did you find this place?"

((OH NOOOO))

Jay swollowed nervously as the sword touched his neck, "I am just a poor travaller sir, a masterless knight sir.... M-My brother and i are passing through, this was the first place we found that the wind did not reach... We did not mean to treaspass sir...." Jay felt on edge around the man.

((Longer replies please.))


Stuart looked over the young man, the same ruthlessness he had known all his life glimmering in his eyes. He lowered his sword slightly but kept it out of it's sheath. If this man as lowly as he looked, was truly a knight, then he was able to kill him with a single move. He looked him over, "Well tresspass ye did. Where is your brother? And how came you to be masterless knights? Before I open the doors to the kingdom of Luminiege, I must know your history."

His eyes rested on the young man for a split second before going to look around the scene. There had to be more of them...no man ever cornered Stuart Bennett and got away with it.

Jay let out a breath as the sword was moved away from his neck, but he didn't relax. "My brother is out hunting and looking for more wood.... We are masterless because our king was killled and his kingdom taken over by an invader, we were exiled because the new king feared our loyalty to our king..... We have been traveling for many months, looking for a new home."

Adam sighed he had not found any game and was returning with only firewood, he walked slowly for the camp.

((I'm only doing one character at a time on this site.))


Stuart looked the young man over when he didn't relax. "Brother you say? How do I know that the two of you weren't exiled for treason. Surely two knights are killed where your from for being loyal to the old ways. Unless there was an uprising in Ulfur that I am not aware of and then you are not welcome here. The queen and prince are good friends of mine there."

He dared not turn his back to the young man, not trusting him like he didn't trust so many others. "Where are you from?"

Jay pulled his cloak tighter to hide a shiver, watching the man carefully. The man put off an air of danger and made him nervous. "We are not from Ulfur, we are from the kingdom of Broodhid many kingdoms over. The king did not have a nerve to kill so many knights... So he exiled us, my brother and i only wish for a new home sir...."

Stuart crosses his arms over his chest, "I have not heard of this Broodhid. What sort of land is it? And what sort of king doesn't kill the knights of the old regime so that he may start over in a new one?"

"He said that their had been enough blood shed.... We had been at war for a while sir.... No one wanted any more killing... Jay said softly, saddened as he talked about his home. "Broodhid is many lands away, we had harsh winters but it did not snow in the other seasons like this land sir.... It is a small kingdom so it should not be well known sir.... Unless you knew of the former king, King David... or the new king, King Lance...."

"Not wanting more killing is weak," sneered Stuart as he put his weapon back in it's sheath. He still refused to turn his back on the young man, not sure what would happen. He sneered, taking a deep breath.

"So, you came from David's kingdom. Your an enemy. Or at least you were when David was king," he shrugged, "Lance you say. I am not sure who Lance is."

"I did not know that the former king had enemy's here sir.... And it is Lance of the Storms family sir...." Jay said softly, deciding to sit by the fire again. He was freezing and it was about time to tend to the flame to keep it going. He carefully added more sticks before holding his hands out over the small flame, he wished his brother was back already. He glanced back up at the sneering man and waited to see what he said.

Stuart looked at the fire, almost enraged. How DARE someone build a fire, set up camp in the ground that his family held sacred by buring their dead here. He snarled and pointed at it, "Put it out or I will extinguish your life! This is not a place for camping, this is a graveyard! This place cannot be used for such base purposes!"

Jay did not look at the king, but he started to speak. His voice having the air of regalness that one would think from a knight, even though he still loooked like only boy. "We tried your inns sir but they claimed all full without anyone in them and we had money to pay, we asked farmers that would not even open their doors. Even the markets and pubs refused to sell to us, we do not have much food and my brother was not sure we would last the night. We are here only because we have no where else to go and my brother thought if we passed we would at least be on holy ground.."

There was a stillness to the air as Stuart looked at the young man. Yes, the inns were full of travellers, that he knew. The farmers could not sell to him for what little crop grew he demanded from his people. Why the markets and pubs refused to sell to them, he did not grasp. "Surely you two have enough money to pay the markets and pubs," he sneered, "I know my land and they do not turn down people dependent on where they are from."

"The first night we arrived in with land we were in a small pub eating... This man pulled my brother aside to talk to him... Someone said he was a lord...." Jay said softly, "I do not know what they talked about though...." He looked at the flame, hoping his small half truth would be exscepted. He did know a little about what the man had said, but his brother refused to tell him everything. "My brother walked away from the man after shaking his head and the man glared at him... Shortly after we were kicked out of the pub... For 'causing' problems...."

"A lord you say? All of the lords in my kingdom usually have a reason for the things that they do," Stuart replied, laying his cloak out and kneeling on it, across from the knight on the other side of the fire. "So tell me the truth, why were the two of you thrown from the pub?"

"Because the man wanted us thrown out... Thats what the stable man said.... We had done nothing but eat the food we had been served, besides the man my brother talked too we had not even talked to many people save for the owner...." Jay answered, looking up slightly. "After that night we could get no help from anyone....."

Stuart nodded, "I will speak to this man. I am king and no one, not even travellers from distant lands disobey my orders." It was true. Though he was considered a tyrant by the people, no one dared disobyed his orders. He was a cold man, a ruthless man. The people knew they would be heavily punished if his order was disobeyed.

"So tell me," Stuart replied as he looked over him, "What are your strenghts?"

Jay nodded slowly shivering as the wind blew by him, the night was cold and hard much like he suspected the man infront of him to be. "I can ride, joust and fight with a sword like any other knight sire, but..." Jay paused for only a moment, "But I am more skilled with a bow and a staff then I am with a sword sire..." He admitted softly.

"You sound like a very capable knight," Stuart said, standing and circling him. He wanted to get a feel for the man in front of him and the best way to do that was to inspect the person. "You look to be fit and as if you have never been matched with a staff. So tell me, why should I take you into my ranks. What can you and your brother offer me?"

Jay lowered his eyes as he was circled, he knew that king was trying to determine if he was a strong knight. "I was raised to stay fit sire and my brother and I learned early to do better then our best with our choosen weapions. As for what we can offer... Sire we are loyal, brave and skilled, but that is all we can offer sire... We have no great fortune and any money we have is a gift from Duke Uthar our grandfather...." Jay said softly.

"Duke Uthar is your grandfather?" Stuart replied, his eyes flashing in a joyus manner. He knew how rich the duke was. He had heard tales of the money he had taken from various wars. "You will start out low on my ranks, you do understand that don't you?"