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Chapter 29
by kalanac
What's your decision?
Decline.
"I'm not sure" you say "It doesn't feel right leaving Ulfric."
Dunham sighs. "Well, I shan't **** you. You're loyal, I respect that. But you're also a fool" he says, throwing your tunic at your chest. "You should get back to your master, I'm done with you" he says, coldly.
You get dressed without a word and make your way back to Ulfric's camp. Your head swims as you question whether you just did the right thing. Dunham was offering you everything you wanted, but you couldn't just abandon Ulfric.
You arrive back at the tent to find Ulfric sitting with another man.
"Ah Eric, Dunham has finally done with you eh?" says Ulfric. His voice is strange. A little slurred. "This is Sir Langley". He gestures towards his drinking companion.
Langley! The squire had warned you about Langley's dirty little trick and now you're too late to do anything about it! Langley regards you with the same look one might give a pile of horse droppings. "Well Ulfric, I really must be off" he says "I look forward to our bout on the morrow. May the best man win."
With that, he leaves. You turn your attention to Ulfric.
"Are you feeling alright sir?" you ask, concerned.
"Oh yes, just a little light headed, nothing a good nights rest won't cure" he says. He stands up, barely, and staggers across to his bedroll where the collapses into a deep sleep. You try to wake him but to no avail, he's out for the night.
The following morning, you rise but find Ulfric still asleep. You wake him, and he looks at you blearily.
"Sir, it's time to get ready" you say. Wordlessly, Ulfric rolls out of bed and stands sluggishly. He rubs his arms.
"I always feel sore after my first matches" he says, unaware that Langley's poison was responsible for numbing his muscles and slowing him.
"Sir, I don't think that's the issue" you say.
"What do you mean?" Ulfric asks.
"I think...I think Langley has poisoned you" you say.
Ulfric's expression sours. "Don't be absurd, boy!" he snaps.
"I'm serious, one of the squires told me he's been doing it for years!" you plead.
"Enough of this!" he growls "You dare besmirch the honour of my friend and prattle on about gossip you heard from a squire?" His expression darkens.
"But sir!" you beg. He raises his hand back as if to strike you but stops short.
"Enough of this, I shan't warn you again!" he says.
The squire was right. Ulfric was so dedicated to concept of nobility that he couldn't possibly believe that a fellow knight would ever behave in such an underhanded fashion. It seems that trying to talk him around is impossible.
You prepare him for the melee in silence and his mood never lets up. You wonder if there is any way to stop him competing, but there's no way he would ever forgive you if you sabotaged his contest.
Mournfully, you watch him stride out into the field to the applause of the crowd. The fight gets off to a good start. Ulfric lands some good blows, but just as you think that perhaps Langley's scheme has failed, things turn quickly. It looks as though Langley had been putting on a show so that his little trick was less obvious to the crowd. Now though, the blows come fast and hard. Ulfric tries his best to deflect the **** but his movements are too slow. Suddenly there's a gasp from the crowd. You crane to see what has happened and see Ulfric clutching his neck, crimson blood running between his fingers. He staggers for a while then falls into the sawdust, never to move again.
What followed passed by like a dream. The master of the lists informs you of your master's **** and the subsequent transferral of ownership to the victor, Langley. The **** is tragic, but no one suspects foul play. Ulfric wasn't the first knight to be fatally injured at these contests, but you know it wouldn't have happened if Langley hadn't poisoned him.
You're brought to him, another of his belongings, and he appraises you briefly.
"You bastard!" you say in a low voice.
"I beg your pardon!?" he bellows.
"You murderous bastard! You poisoned him!" you yell. Before you can say another word, a heavy hand strikes you on the side of your head. You feel someone lean in to whisper.
"No one will believe a worthless piece of shit like you and where you're going, there will be no one to tell" hisses Langley in your ear.
You fall .
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Indentured
The tale of a young man sold by his father
It's the Middle Ages, Saxon Britain. You're the son of a farmer who landed on hard times and sold you to a slaver to pay of his debts. What fate has in store for you from here on in is unknown. While there is more work to be done, there is one plot line that runs all the way to a definite (happy) conclusion. There are several times when the story might end badly for the protagonist, hopefully preserving the feeling of tension when you first select an option. I will be fleshing out the current adventure line before introducing the others, though I'm always happy for others to pitch in, offer suggestions, or demand I work on something specific (not that it's guaranteed I will). I appreciate feed back, whether to offer suggestions or just to tell me if you enjoyed yourself. Feel free to send me a message with constructive criticism or gushing praise (one can but hope ;) )
Updated on May 5, 2019
by kalanac
Created on Jul 16, 2017
by kalanac
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