A dull pounding from the north...

[Agglan Muirscant]

 Agglan fumed at the apparent carelessness this Dead Eye exhibited about his position. Didn't this Fox Realize who he was? He was the son of an Emperor! Aubres! All trembled at his very name! And yet, Emperors come and go, and the influence quickly dies along with the power. Agglan slowly realized he was not royalty anymore, and just a peice of property to be bargained with. "Alas, I wish not to die, so I unwilingly resign myself to your imprisonment. But tell me now, why take me to Kilkenne? Is he not dead, or has he come back to life just one more time to haunt me instead of others?" He said with more than a small amount of anger in his voice.

[Dead Eye]

 "Watch your tounge. This is not imprisonment, but any other way you choice you will die. Kilk is wise and grand king. And I go there already. So you will follow. I do this for Emperor. Now hold your tounge and move!"

[The Lady Shael]

 After a day's worth of marching, Shael and her Guard, protected by Kilk's Guard, arrived at the gates of his mountain stronghold. She stood next to the captain, her cape waving in the breeze, looking up at the mountain, many memories flooding back. Still curious to what it was Kilk was supposed to give her, she braced herself to enter the stronghold and meet her friend back from the dead...

[~>John<~]

 *ooc* I think I should change my flag to the Blue Parallelogram..heh heh!*ooc*



The Hordes of the Hexans marched north. Finally, they went past the last of the burning. It had been a long and hard march, with many battles on the way. His Hordes, the Northern Allegiance, had triumphed. His flags of old, the Hexans flag, was being carried still by 19 of "the" 20. One had fallen. And his new flags, the crisp mix of Red and Black, all 20 still carried. Except for one change, a smear of blue. He need not hide who we has anymore. The allegiance of the Hexans and his new hordes was.....powerful. For they were marching to Kilk, who had already said that when they got there they could join Imperial. *ooc* I'm pretty sure Kilk would let you join Cal*ooc* Duke John though to himself that he would half to make a flag regiment soon.  20 for the black cross, 19 still for the Hexans of Old, 20 for the Northern Allegiance, and 20 for every other flag he recieved in an alliance. Suddenly he was interrupted by a weasel in a red jerkin,
"Sire, we're encountering resistance!" he shouted, "On the weak right tip!" So, John thought to himself, my idea having scouts in front AND on the side worked. Too bad they might be decimated before he got there. Ah well. 300 was not much. But what supplies he cound take he would. "Wheel the forces around, aim for the battle! All of them!" he replied. "We shall eat our fill tonight!" He supposed he had been foolish for not re-supplying sooner. The troops morale was down, and he needed loyalty among his ranks. The extra fighting and plunder would help them. As usual, he sat back. He only went with his horde at the great battles. Suddenly, a messenger ran up to them. He motioned to the messenger quickly, " What have you brought? Hand it to me!" as he received it he sighed, it was from his Lord, Kilkenne.  He scanned it quickly, taking in the fact that Shael was in his presence. However, one thing did surprise him, Dead Eye marching Duke Aubres' son to Kilk. "Treachery." He thought. They had fought side by side when they were with Aubres, and now he was taking Aubres son into danger. They both served Kilk now, he supposed, but Dead Eye was not in his Imperial Army....."Why would he be in Dark?" He questioned to himself. He quickly dismissed the though to another one; Dead Eye surely had made the transition from Aubres to Kilkenne quick, even of he, Duke John, had not. Even John would have disobeyed Kilkenne to get Agglan to safety.....but perhaps Kilk thought Agglan would be safer there. Either way, it was dangerous to transport him through such territories. He decided he would try to intercept them, if he could, but if they got to Kilk's domain first then he would just follow.....a ferret ran up to him,saying that they had won with minimal casualties and had gotten much from looting and stealing. He informed the stoat that they would march til nightfall, trying to cath up to dead eye's escort. He smiled inwardly, thinking to himself that his rise to power was sure. Not to disrupt Kilk from Emperor....oh no. He was content for top 5. Just a place of power where he could end his days in peace, looting and foraging off the land with no need to attack, waiting until the Era came to pass. And when it passed...well, that was a long time away, he thought, better concentrate on the here and now. And with that he marched with his troops, telling his scribe to write of everything that had happened, to chronicle the Horde of the Northern Allegiance!

[Kilkenne]

 --------------------------------
The red-eyed ferret paced the ramparts of his castle, the breeze combing his hair softly as he walked, looking down, and soon, he saw it from the south. Metal glinting in the sunlight. His own banners. Those of the Lady Shael. Finally, they had arrived! He beckoned to a rat and a ferret as he raced down from the ramparts, and out the open gate, his crimson cloak swirling with his haste.

"EMPEROR KILKENNE OF THE NORTH HAILING THE LADY SHAEL AND CAPTAIN SHRASK!" The ferret, following along behind him called.

He grinned as he made contact with the first in the party, ignoring all but his captain, who he nodded to and took a place by Shael, now simply in pace with her, moving up to the last stretch of paved road before the entrance of the gate.

" 'Ello!" He greeted cheerfully, his breath making furls of steam around him. "I 'spose you wonder why I'm back...Never really died I suppose...In short, I honestly think I fell out of space and time for a short amount of time..." He says ernestly, forgetting his status for a moment.

"Ahh yes...You've been informed that you are going to recieve something, no? I suppose you want that..." He trails off, stopping just short of the entrance to his great hall, now having passed the outer wall and into the keep, the guards going their seperate ways. He pulls out a parchment from a pocket in his cloak, handing it over;

In flowing script, it reads:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the order of the Lady Shael Varonne,


By decree of the Emperor of the North, Kilkenne Ragingblade, the powers of Empress may be bestowed upon her if she so chooses, creating a bond, not of marriage, but a bond of power between the now combined Rulers of the Northern Territory. This power is, and is not limited to: Declaring war, retaliatory strikes, peace alliances, and any matters needing attention involving the Northlands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you accept?" The smoke-grey ferret stares fixedly.

[The Lady Shael]

 ooc: Not good Ad, no one will notice it here, which is why I didn't move it in the first place.


bic: Shael's paw shook as she finished reading, and she looked up from the parchment and stared back, her eyes locking with his. "I-..." she started, unable to force any more words out, and she read the letter again. The powers of Empress in her grasp once again! She closed her eyes, so many tangled thoughts running through her mind. She felt Kilk's eyes still watching her for an answer. She muttered to Rayla to go with her Guard to the soldier barracks, then she started to walk inside, away from the ears of common soldiers and the wintry environment she was unused to.

The young weasel turned back to Kilk, their height difference suddenly became more noticeable to her as her almond-colored eyes looked up to him. "I don't want to sound rude or prying when I say this, but if I don't ask it now, I probably never will. Why?" she asked plainly, indicating the parchment still in her paw. "And why me?" It was her turn to stare and wait for an answer.  

[Dead Eye]

 Dead Eye was panting now. Still ahead of his army in the long run, he was dieing. Already half his army had dropped. They numbered 100 now, and most of his other fighters were tired. But now, now he could see Kilk's kingdom. None should stop him now. He sprinted faster, urging on his army. Finally they were at the great gate.

"Oy, who be there? You are in the grounds of the King of the Northland. Ye must name your self to see his higness!" a weasel guard yelled from the wall.

"Enough you prat! I am Dead Eye the Dark Warrior, and with me travel a guard for the son of Emperor Aubres! Let me by now you you shall fall! Kilk awaits me!" And such was the authority of Dead Eye that the guards sat dumb struck. Then the gates opened slowly, and Dead Eye travelled in

[Kilkenne]

 --------------------------------------------
The ferret's grin faded for a moment when posed with a question. He simply started laughing after a moment of silence.

"Shael, you have experience in this issue, you are from the House of Delor, you can help me with my duties. Also, I enjoy your presence..." He grinned nonchalantly as Dead Eye came gasping into the hall. Immediately he turned on his heel, looking at the noble.

"Ah. Finally you arrive. I had heard you were bringing your horde, are you not now? If you haven't heard, Shael is partaking in the governing of the North if she so chooses. The south is no longer of concern for the Imperial Forces I suppose, but I need a regent in the area, that could well end up being you, Dead Eye." The ferret glared as two guards approached the trio, and they immediately retreated back up the hallway.

"Well. Shall we then?" He looked from one too the other and thrust open one of the great doors to the dining hall, now being spread with food for the still arriving guests. "It will be several hours before the others arrive, I fear, but we can...entertain ourselves here, eh?" He gave a roguish grin as he pawed his scimitar hilt over one shoulder, one crossbar and the handle coming through the head-hole of his cloak.

[Dead Eye]

 "Hold yourself Kilk! Couple things. Number 1 Beatles is after me and this" and Dead Eye pointed to aubres son "Meet the emperors son. Found him and his gang. And Beatles is chasing me for him. I brought him to you, to figure out what to do!"

[The Lady Shael]

 Shael smiled at Kilk's irresistable charm, and she folded the parchment and pocketed it in her tunic. She opened her mouth to say something to Kilk, when Dead Eye spoke. "Hold yourself Kilk!" She listened, realizing they might not be heading to the dining hall just yet.

[Kilkenne]

 ----------------------------------
He cursed under his breath. This newcomer would endanger the North if kept here, and he made a quick decision.

He offered a paw to the younger. "You are to remain here. If you are safe anywhere, you are safe in the mountains of the North. If Beatles is following you, then so be it. He won't be more than a week, so we have time to prepare. But as for now, it's not time to trouble ourselves with foreigners knocking at my gates who are not friends." He turned once more into the hall, seemingly disreguarding all the information, but he was thinking hard as to what he should do as he offered a paw in escort to Shael to make it look less like he was deep in thought, in addition to politeness...

[Dead Eye]

 Dead Eye gave the youngster a dirty look, knowing Kilk was troubled. But Kilk was wise, he would think of something. And Beatles could be dealt with. Now, food!

"Men, go to the barracks! Get your grub. Captains, make sure they don't make themselves look like fools! Now, if you pardon me sir, I must go to your table. I have not eaten in four days." and at this Dead Eye Rushed to the table and filled in. But under the table, his paw was touching one of his rapiers. After eating more then double his fill, he turned to the master and lady.

"Now what job in the south do you speak of sir?"

[Agglan Muirscant]

 Agglan stared at the floor dejectedly after shaking Kilkenne's hand. This Dead Eye had brought him into imprisonment under Kilkenne, Lord of the northlands. The cursed Rebel Usr was out for his blood, and his horde was all but under the same fate as he. "Poor Gygar, the bloke never had a chance. I wonder what will become of my loyal Guard. Quick Death may be their only hope in this forsaken world, enemies on all sides only because they proclaim loyalty to the kindest Emperor in Redwall. Bachorl! I pray that my life may be short if imprisonment in this freezing place is my destiny." He said lightly under his breath, tears forming in his young eyes. Agglan's legs then shook slightly, and his vision slowly became blurred. The exhaustion from the long run and the emotional stress from the entire ordeal was finally taking over. He was just being led to his table by some armed guards when he promptly fainted; his grey-furred head falling upon the polished cold marble floor.


OOC: Bachorl means a curse word in RWL-lian

[Dead Eye]

 Right as Kilk began to answer Dead Eye saw his captive hit the ground. He jumped up and ran to the fallen creature. He took of Agglan's armor, and saw the creature wore a blood tainted leather jerkin. This creature was in worse condition then he thought.

"Kilk! This creature can not die or many lives would have been thrown in vain. He is a good hearted creature. You must get a doctor here now!"  

[The Lady Shael]

 ooc- *pokes Beatles* Kilk's inside, you know.

bic-

Shael sensed Kilk wasn't entirely at ease, but took his paw as he began to lead her into the dining room. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the emperor's son sink to the floor, and Dead Eye leaning over him. She suddenly let go of Kilk's arm, wordlessly telling him to do something.