<cough> ... cusss she's probably not a maiden anymore .... ?


<hides>

"I'd step back if I were ye, elf. I haven't spilt any blood yet today and I'm gettin' kinda itchy," the heroine warned, eyeing the elf that whispered in Carrington's ear. Twirling her spear, Tayana nodded at the warden. "e called, yer lordship? And I'll thank ye to have a care with who yer sendin' out into Thidranki, half the youth of Devr'im are hunting here now, me brother included. I'll take it personal if ye get him killed."

Tayana blinked as the elf seemed to vanish, only to reappear inside of her guard. He caught up her hand, and planted a dry kiss on the back of it. "Ah, the ever lovely Tayana. The lad has nothing to fear from me. My knives are reserved for our enemies."

 

-----signature-----

Velaron was eyeing an elven ranger in caledonia when he saw one of arguyle's fool messengers running around randomly shouting his name, the ranger drew his bow and shot at the messenger, his arrow going through the mans leg. he drew again but by this had given the infiltrator enough time to move to where the archer stood, quickly he sliced through the pointy eared beings neck artery and with ease did a follow-up summersault, using the foroward momentum he developed to drive his swords deep into his enemies belly. he walked off and let his poison finish the job, hearing the elf scream in pain and eventualy die.


quickly he ran to the messenger's side, ahh he remembered this one, the boy seemed to think he was a great fighter of some sort, velaron had seen the young one fight though and it seemed as though he didn't know which side of a sword to hold. "ye bloody fool" he said "i told ye to wait at the keep if'n ye had a message for me, serves ye right. what do ye want?" the boy handed him a letter and then fainted from the pain as some fellow soldiers carted him away to caledonia keep for healing.


--------------------------

Lions of the Shadow,


Attend me immediately. I have a matter the greatest import to discuss with you.


Arguyle


--------------------------


"must be important" velaron thought to himself, "he normaly does not use this kind of a tone in his writing". he sheathed the swords he still held and moved quickly through the shadows toward the portal keep that would take him back to albion.


....................


velaron arrived at the lions compound in camelot and although his body screamed for rest he sought arguyle immediatly. the paladin was in his office reading reports from the battle front but velaron could tell his chief wasn't really paying attention to them, there was something weighing on his mind.


"ye wished to see me m'lord?" velaron spoke softly as was his custom

"Ahh...Velaron. Yes. Carrington Whitethorne has betrayed the Order again. He has taken the trust of his Brothers and Sisters and forsaken it. I have dispatched Assassins to Thidranki to hunt him. I want you to watch for him as he leaves Thidranki. When he does, kill him and bring me his head. Leave no doubt that it was the Order that brought death to the Traitor." said Arguyle.


He then turned back to his maps. As Velaron was backing out of the room Arguyle said, "And Velaron. Macivor will be coordinating the mission. Seek him out of you have need of anything. Do not fail in your task Velaraon. I want Carrington dead."

"m'lord... i do not like to deny your requests but you must allow me time to weigh this command, carrington was like a third brother to kilaitz and i. to even think about killing him is something that i may not be ready to do. i know you feel betrayed by him and i do too, so you must allow me time to think." as velaron spoke these words he knew he risked his place in the order, but carrington was a brother to him, and one simply does not just go out and kill someone like that.


"by the way m'lord, do not mention this to kilaitz for he will surely deny you. he holds the fond memories of carrington and nothing you say or do will change that, i might be able to be swayed but it will probably require some act of carrington directly against me and my brother and no others to happen. he has a quite a few seasons before he will be worthy of battle with me so there is still time"

“Come on Alonwy, Carrington is your honour-kin! You HAVE to go and help him!” the young Celtic woman shouted at the elf who sat in front of the fire showing no signs of moving. She had been trying for the better part of an hour to persuade the woman to come to Carrington’s aid.


Alonwy Sighed heavily. “Anghard, I can not go….”


“Your are breaking your vows! What good are they if you break them?”


“There are other vows and bonds that I have chosen to be bound with. My Heart and soul belong to Dunchadt, and I will not kill his friends or brethren any more.”


“That bloody Highlander.” So saying the young druid spat on the floor. She would not say his name, he had taken her best friend and mentor from her, and she hated him for it. “He’s made you a Traitor! “ And with that, tears in her eyes, she slapped the elfin women, hard.


Standing to her full height, Alonwy drew the young woman into her arms, speaking softly to Anghared “No,he has not. He has completed me. Love is a stronger bond than ever I imagined. And I will not be a traitor to his or my heart ever again.”


“Carrington is right, the war is pointless, but his approach is wrong,” Alonwy continued,” killing only begets killing. If more could admit their love for others freely, perhaps we would find we have more in common than not.”


‘I’m going,” The young woman said as she stopped crying but remained hugging her friend.


“As well you should. Follow your heart, as Carrington follows his and I follow mine.” Then she kissed the young Celt on the forehead. “Danu watch over you, Anghard.”


With out looking back she called out “And you, sister.”


Then running out the door of the small hut, she whistled loud and long calling her wolf companion to her. “Come on Keno Khan, we have work to do.”

A dark cloaked figure stealthily trails after Carrington. A glimmer of light reflected off a scythe shimmered as the cloaked figure deftly slices an arrow in two that was aimed at Carrington's back.


He let off a soft, amused chuckle. "Carrington, why am I always watching you back? Well, a Blackblade always gives his word." His voice trails off as he continues to trail behind Carrington ever watchful.

 

-----signature-----

Word had reached Akvad of Carrington's redefection. He sat in his room, lounging in a chair, staring out at the snow that blanked the land outside of the MacAndrew's keep.


He thought back to the words that he had once heard Dahrnkiel say, 'The war will go on until those that wish to end it are dead themselves.'


How true, he thought to himself, that so many try to end the war only to find that in the end they perpetuate it, make it stronger. Evil begets evil. He closed his eyes and listened to the moans of the spirit world.


They had grown louder recently, as if swelled by new and stronger voices. Akvad could not deny that the crypts of Albion has become packed with the undead, restless and angry. Soon they will flow over here, as they have in Avalon, he mused, then no one will know peace. Only a few holy spots will be left alone, until they too are overwhelmed. The veil will not save the elves, or the cold the norse. All lands will be covered.


Poor misguided Carrington, Akvad thought, he does what he believes is right. How many times has he cursed the death that follows him, not knowing that they are caused by him.


Akvad twists in a spike of pain. The agony of that night has not completely been forgotten, and it reminds the saracen of it frequently.


With the pain come flashes of blood, and a look of Carrington's face, white with a spray of red blood accross it, horrified at what he had done. There was hope for him then, Akvad thought, but where has that hope gone?


Dunchadt will be crushed, he stood up for the whelp against his friend Arguyle, for Alonwy and for a believe that Carrington deserved a chance to prove himself again. Akvad could picture the mercenary's face turning bright red, he eye darkening menacingly at the news. But neither of them would harm Carrington now, Dunchadt would not kill his love's kin, and Akvad would honour Dunchadt's promises like his own.


Lord Arawn help him if he hurt that girl though, or hurt those under the protection of the Tower, then there would be no mercy, no pity, no second chances.


Akvad leaned back into the chair and sighed... what was Carrington up to...

"Carrey, you look like hell," Chanell said as she walked in the room and saw Carrington sitting in the corner. The other NAWGs in the room snickerd. They had thought the same thing, but with the look on Carrington's face, they hadn't dared say a thing.


"Arguyle's sent assasins after me," he said to her.


Chanell stood there a moment in shock.


"When did you find out?"She asked him.

"Last night."

"L-last night? And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry," he told her.

"Did you not think I would find out?" Chanell told him.


He looked up at her, blankly. The other NAWGs in the room went about their business, pretending not to listen.


"Don't worry about it though, I've taken care of it." He said to her.


Chanell looked at him and arched an eyebrow. He knew she wasn't going to drop the subject until he told her. She couldn't belive what she was hearing. The lowless of such an act. Was /this/ what Albion considered "civilized"?


She looked at the other NAWGs and knew this couldn't be discussed in front of them. Not now anyway.


"Carrington...kitchen...now.." Chanell walked over to the kitchen door. Carrington looked up at her with a shocked expression on his face, and then walked into the kitchen with Chanell following.


"Sit," she said, pointing to a chair and sitting in the one next to it.


"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" she asked him.


"I know Arguyle, this won't end until one of us is dead," he told her.


"This isn't about just you anymore. Don't you understand that? I'm sure Arguyle has declared war on anyone who even knows you. Don't you dare even /think/ of leaving, Mr. Whitethorn. You pledged your loyalty to me and I plan to hold you to that. The second you stepped through those guild hall doors, you became our family. This family sticks together and stands up for one another. All you have to do is ask," Chanell took a deep breath and looked at Carrington. "Had you come to me with this last night, we could have come up with a more suitable solution. But, what's done is done and we'll have to work with that."


"It's not done yet," Carrington said as he looked at her.


"Not done yet?" Chanell asked.

"No."


Chanell sighed with relief.


"Carrey," she said as she placed her hand on his, " I know nothing of your politics, but do you trust me?"


He looked up at her and nodded, "Aye, I trust you with my life."


"Good," she said simply. She looked intently into his eyes, "Call off your plan."


He sat there a moment, a look of fear, and anger, and shock on his face. After a moment he nodded, "Aye."


He quickly rose from his seat.

"I'll be back."


"Where are you going?" Chanell called after him. But it was too late, he was already gone.


Chanell sat back in her chair and sighed.

'Carrington Whitethron, what am I goign to do with you.'