(ok this will hopefuly be my only ooc post on this thread)


(yeah sorry, i saw the opportunity and i had to take it, plus unless i missed the new thread i'm still her crush and i can't be having you mess with my... well wouldn't you like to know )

Chanell stole another grape and tossed it at Carrington; she giggled as she watched it bounce off his head. Taking the brandy from him she stood up.


"I think I'm going to have that bath now."


She made her way up the stairs and made a mental note to lock the door behind her.


_______________________


(Kilaitz /kiss)

"Ah, yes...Tayana...I called you hear to tell you that the Order of the Red Lions have betrayed our cause. They may, and should be killed on sight. They are no different from any Albion fool, and are a danger to our dream. If they are seen, I ask you command your force to destroy them."


He turned away from her to wander off and speak with the elf, the rarely seen Secaran, casually dismissing the heroine. Tayana's eyes narrowed, her grip reflexively tightening on her spear. This was what he had summoned her here for? A waste of her valuable time... As a rule she spared no enemy, for none had ever spared her, and the few she might hesistate to slay were the ones she had met personally. Whether or not an Alb wore the colors of the Red Lions had never mattered to her... though she had checked the bodies of the fallen for them on occasion, as an afterthought.


Watching the traitor walk away, she shook her head. Good intentions or no, he'd betrayed his people, it was unlikely they would forget that. Tayana sighed, an annoyed hiss, and comforted herself with the knowledge that if nothing else, she would at least be able to shed more Albion blood.


((hideously late in the storyline, but i still wanted to respond... and interrupt carrington's attempt to get his groove on ))

Ayslyn sat in his library and re-read the note. "Well at least one of them is willing to think this over." He swirled the small vial containing the sample of the poison that Secaran had saved for him. "This is nasty stuff. It won't kill, no. But I wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of it either. We need to end this."


He took pen, ink and paper and began to write.


Lord General Arguyle,


It saddens me that things have come to this state of afairs. While I share Carrington's desire to end the war, I too must question some of the means used to do so. Know, however that my first loyalty must be to the people of Hibernia.


I suggest that you, Carrington and I sit down to talk in a place of my choosing. I vouce for your safety during the talks, and for as long as it takes you to return home from them.


Give the messanger your answer.


In Hope of Peace,

Ayslyn Greenwillow, Champion of Rhiannon.


He rolled the parchment, sealed it with the willow on green wax, and handed the scroll to Secaran.


"See that Arguyle gets that. I need to talk to young Carrington."


***


Ayslyn stepped into the Nawg guildhouse.


"our pardon, but I have a question for Carrington that can not wait. Lad, are you truly dedicated to peace, and would do anything to achieve it?"

 

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Carrington nodded as Chan went upstairs to bathe. He yawned and draw his blade...while he didn't use it, he carried it with him, just in case. He ran his finger along the edge...still sharp.


He looked around and picked up an orange from a bowl on the table in front of him. He tossed it up in the air and rolled it over his fingers mindlessly for a moment...a fine distraction.


Holding the blade straight up with his left hand, he took the orange in his right and and tossed it against the blade. Almost immediately the orange split completely in half, perfectly, landing on the table. He grabbed one of the halves and began to eat.


Then it hit him.


He was too full of himself. Why did he think he could end this war? Why? He thought back at how quickly he had dismissed Tayana. Why should she care what he wanted? He frowned at himself. Maybe he was just a fool.


Maybe, he thought, maybe he should slow down and take a look at what he cared about, that was close to him....and not so much about dreams.

 

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Arguyle heard the sound of the alarm from within the Hall of the Lion. Springing from behind his desk he grabbed his sword and shield and headed down the stairs. He followed the sound to the store room and found the guard there looking at the casks.


"What happened here?" demanded the Paladin.


"An elf M'Lord...he...he..well...he was fiddlin' wit da kegs methinks. I heard a crash an' came directly down 'ere. He shoved me inta da wall and fled. But he left behind 'is flask and da open cask der." said the guard.


Arguyle touched the liquid on the lip of the cask and put it to his lips. Spitting the liquid out he roared.


"Jothan!! Get Jothan and Khallie down here immediately!!"

Kilaitz here's the uproar downstairs and goes to see what it's all about.


"if'n someone messed with the brew i hate to see what mac is gonna do" he chuckled

Akvad had decided the time had come to act, to do something other than sit here and ponder.


Breifly he considered talking to Dunchadt about it, but had heard the big man's yelling from up the tower, and guessed that he was in no mood to talk about it.


Sitting down at his desk, the small man began to pen his note:


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

Carrington,


I wish there were words I could write to you to turn you from this bloody path you have chosen. However, I have learned that you are a man who will stand beside his convictions until the bitter end. So I will tell you the only things I can.


Remember Alonwy. Remember the sacrifices she was willing to make, did make. Remember Dunchadt. Remember how this war you seem so willing to perpetuate affects more than the participants. Remember cutting deep into my back, spilling the remains of my life out. Remember and see what this all leads to.


The spirits wail with anger and loss. War solves none of this. Evil begets more evil.


I will finish this with a warning to you, if you hurt those in my care, or those i care about, you will never know a moments peace.


I do not wish to do that. Revenge and hatred consume the hater more than the hated, leaving both dead in its wake.


Akvad

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He finished his writing, and looked over the parchment. In the light of the candle, his precise script looked as if it was written in blood.


"I do not know what I hope to accomplish by this," he muttered to himself in his naitive tongue.


He sprinked the sand over it to help it dry. Rolling it up, he put it aside.


Then he sat down again to write.


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

Alonwy,


See that Carrington gets this please. And do not tell Dunchadt.


Akvad.

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


The reaver rolled this note around the last one and slid them both in to a tube.


Marking the tube with the MacAndrews seal, he handed to a messanger set up just for communication between Dunchadt and Alonwy.


"Hurry, this is important," Akvad told him, and sent him on his way.

Secaran sat outside the window to Arguyle's study, waiting for the general to return. He hoped that Ayslyn knew what he was doing. Putting these two in the same room could cause problems, to say the least. Still Ayslyn had a way about him. He seemed so naive, so inanely sure that the universe would make sure that right prevailed and that no matter how bad things looked, he still believed. Even more annoying was that often he was right. If Secaran hadn't witnessed some of the things he'd seen, he would never have believed them. But still, often when Ayslyn's motives were pure, the universe seemed to align itself behind him, and everything seemed to work itself out, regardless of how bad things were. He had seen the Ranger turn what should have been utter defeat into astounding victories, turn lifelong, bitter enemies into the staunchest of allies, and even friends. Somehow, he knew that Ayslyn would work his stange brand of magic here, and hopefully, get these two one-time friends to see reason.

 

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

Carrington,


I wish there were words I could write to you to turn you from this bloody path you have chosen. However, I have learned that you are a man who will stand beside his convictions until the bitter end. So I will tell you the only things I can.


Remember Alonwy. Remember the sacrifices she was willing to make, did make. Remember Dunchadt. Remember how this war you seem so willing to perpetuate affects more than the participants. Remember cutting deep into my back, spilling the remains of my life out. Remember and see what this all leads to.


The spirits wail with anger and loss. War solves none of this. Evil begets more evil.


I will finish this with a warning to you, if you hurt those in my care, or those i care about, you will never know a moments peace.


I do not wish to do that. Revenge and hatred consume the hater more than the hated, leaving both dead in its wake.


Akvad

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


Carrington sat reading the letter for a long time. He had killed many Albion men and women on the Thidranki fronts the night before...and for what? Only a few of them were in self-defense. He sat there, silently.

 

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