The Lord and The Lordling

Another two weeks flew by since that day at the lake, Elsie and I found more and more excuses to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company. My training with my mother and Canis continued; after the battle with the ogre I focused my efforts on developing my ability with other weapons from my sword, knowing now just how easy it was to end in a situation without one. With great difficulty I had also finally told Henry that I had recovered from the injuries that I had endured, and his food deliveries had stopped coming in such vast quantities, though he still made sure to drop off the occasional meal for me to try.

After finishing the chores that my mother had left for me to do before she set out into the woods to clear out any monsters that had ventured too close to Blue-Rock, since the ogre it seemed that more and more were coming, I met Henry in the village and we sat outside of his bakery as we talked about our day; Henry asking me probing questions about my relationship with Elsie, clearly knowing that there was something happening between us. I can’t help but smile as he asks me about Elsie, but I try to keep my answers vague as we hadn’t told anyone else yet.

There are more people than usual milling around the square, not really doing anything but wanting to be as close to the centre of events as Lord Motten is expected to arrive any day now.

A man runs up, coming from the path leading out of town, out of breath he bends over and clutches at his knees as he gasps for air. After a moment he points backwards to the path from which he came

His face flushed from exertion; he tries to speak. “Ca… Car… Carriages!” he struggles for more air, “down the path… a whole caravan of them” he adds as people listen to his news with intent. It seems that the new lord has finally arrived. “Coming from Hopper’s field, they’ll be here soon” the man adds on, clearly excited to have the biggest news to hit the village recently.

Hearing the announcement, everyone in Blue-Rock who had been waiting these past days for this exact news quickly begin moving about. They make sure they look as presentable as they can in their cheap, roughspun dresses and what they considered to be suits or fine attire.

It took a few more minutes before we could at last see the carriages approaching us, six of them in total with one presumably carrying Lord Motten. As they pass through the village square and turn towards the pathway that would lead to the Lord’s manor, they come to a stop.

The carriages each have a rider atop them, driving the vehicle they wear clothing that is finer than any of the villagers’ with fine embroidery of Lord Motten’s bear crest. People stand silent in anticipation, waiting for someone to exit the carved wooden doors. A motion and a curtain on the carriage window is moved and someone looks out.

At last, the door is opened. A man with thick black hair and eyes almost as dark steps out, he has a powerful build with muscles accentuating his large body. Standing at over 6 feet tall he is taller than most of the villagers that look on, excited to be a part of such a big day. Putting that of his drivers to shame, his clothing is made of a fine velvet in extravagant colours, making the usually vibrant village seem drab by comparison. He is followed by a younger man, probably my age or a year younger at a guess, he looks just like Lord Motten with thick black hair and dark eyes. His body is far slender, without the bulging muscles that his companion has and his face more handsome without the years of age to wear it down. Lord Motten’s face wears a grim expression as his gaze pans the crowd, scratching at the stubble on his beard he spits onto the ground before speaking.

“I AM LORD MOTTEN” he declares loudly, the volume of his voice apparently enough to quieten the excited whispers of the crowd “The crown has seen it fit to appoint me as the lord and master of these lands. You will conduct your business as usual unless you are instructed to do otherwise, I expect order in my lands. I demand it. So long as you obey and remain within your given stations, there will be no trouble. If you find this too difficult, you will be dealt with swiftly and unequivocally. I did not know Lord…” his voice quietens as he turns to his son and whispers something.

"What was it? Back something?”. His son replies to his question in a whisper.

“Ahem, yes. I did not know Lord Beckront but I will be reviewing his records in short order and you will be notified of any changes that are to be made. I expect there will be a range of wasteful expenditure I will have to remedy” he adds before finishing with a resounding “THAT WILL BE ALL”

The bulky man turns to open his carriage door and resume his journey to the manor. As he does so, he reveals a number of attractive women within wearing extravagant silks that reveal far more than would be appropriate even in the circles that the nobles travel in. Presumably the harem that my mother mentioned he possessed. The younger man sighs as he watches Lord Motten sit in the carriage and look at him with an impatient stare.

He turns back to face the crowd and gives his cloak an elaborate flourish, his face adopts a charming smile. “I do apologise for my father’s… curtness, my goodmen. It has been a long, arduous journey and we are eager to settle into our new home. I am Zarin Motten, you may call me my lord or something equally grandiose” he says, giving a wide smile at that comment which gets a chuckle or two from the crowd.

Zarin looks back at his father in the carriage, whose impatience seems to be growing, “ah, it appears that we need to be on our way. I’m afraid that I won’t be staying in these lands for long as I will be attending the capital for the test of divinities and soon after becoming an adventurer. However I look forward to getting to know you all very well in the time we have together” he finishes as his gaze pans the crowd, seeming to focus on the women there.

Zarin returns to the carriage with his father who gives the door a firm tug shut, the younger man parts the curtains and gives a wave to the crowd with that same charming grin until the carriages take them out of view. The silence that had settled over the crowd during the Lord’s announcement broke abruptly and everyone there began to let out a flurry of gossip.

I turn to Henry who had been listening with as much intensity as anyone else, now looking at me with an excited look on his face. It seemed that he wanted to begin the gossip too.

I sigh, “So what do you think of them Henry?” I say at last

“They seem good, I mean the Lord seemed a bit hard but maybe that will finally get Clen and his buddies to start behaving” he gushes, “and Zarin seemed nice, maybe we can be friends with him. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for you to have a friend in high places when you go to the capital”

“Yeah, I guess Motten didn’t seem as bad as my mother made him out to be. Maybe having a son changed him? And Zarin didn’t seem anything like his father” I reply as I think about them

Henry nods his head in agreement

“Well, Elsie will be helping her mother in the manor all day today. She said there were a lot of preparations to do for the arrival. I guess we can ask her tomorrow what they’re like behind closed doors” I suggest. “I don’t know what I’d do if they aren’t as decent, and I have to leave you all here alone with them”

Henry gives my back one of his friendly slaps as he beams a smile at me, “Come on Aucus, I’ve managed to survive this long. I don’t think I’ll fall apart without you” he protests, “I’m not giving you an excuse to stay here for another year. You’re going to be an adventurer”

I smile at him, I always appreciate how much he cares “Thanks Henry, I guess if Clen goes too then things should be easier on you”

“Anyway, did you say that Elsie is spending all day at the manor?” Henry says with a smirk, “Looks like you don’t have anywhere to run off to then. Now come on, I want to get your opinion on a few dishes” he grabs my arm and takes me into his bakery.