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Henry
June 1, 2694
Harrison, County of Sam's Throne, Duchy of Waxhaw
(American State of Arkansas)
Henry McDaniels, Lord of Dardanelle (2660-present) and Marshal of Waxhaw (children not pictured)
Henry rode into Harrison at the head of 20 men, but he wished he had more. It was late afternoon, and most of the people he had seen were either relaxing in the shade or at work, but nearly everyone he saw looked concerned by a party of armed men. On the journey here, he had allowed his men to not wear their armor, but he had judged that, as they approached the town and Lady Holly’s castle, it would be best to look intimidating. At his side, one of his men held the Duchess’s banner, and he didn’t doubt that Lady Holly already knew about his party. Still, as they approached Holly’s castle near the center of Harrison, he noticed more people wearing Revelationist amulets than he was entirely comfortable with. Hopefully the people of Harrison would one day see the light and be brought to Christ and the Church.
When they arrived at the castle, Lady Holly, her husband Dennis, and a few of her courtiers were waiting in the courtyard outside the keep. Henry removed his wide-brimmed hat and nodded to Holly.
“My lady Holly. Lord Dennis. It’s good to see you both again.”
Holly Danvorn, Lady of Sam's Throne since July 27, 2690
Dennis, son of the heathen horselord Galen Hiramson
Holly was of average height and had brown hair and her late mother’s brown eyes. Dennis, her husband, was several inches taller and had dark brown, nearly black hair and blue eyes. Henry noticed he was wearing a Revelationist amulet and remembered, again, that Dennis had been born on the western plains of Nebraska into a horselord family, and apparently still kept the Revelationist faith of his heathen forefathers.
Holly spoke first.
“The pleasure is ours, my lord. Would you like to come inside for a cool drink?”
“That sounds wonderful,” Henry said after he dismounted.
“Before we move inside,” Holly said, “I have a few introductions to make. This is the captain of my guard, Dedan.”
Dedan, Marshal of Sam's Throne
A red-headed young man stepped forward and shook hands with Henry. “My steward, Jedediah.” Another young man stepped forward and shook Henry’s hand.
Steward of Sam's Throne
“Unfortunately, Abbot Abibo is in Mount Judea, or he would be here today.”
“That is unfortunate. I believe you mentioned a drink?”
Dennis spoke this time. “Follow me.” Henry thought Dennis had an odd accent, but he couldn’t say he had ever met many other people from the Great Plains.
Holly’s courtiers made their excuses and went their separate ways. Finally, Henry, Holly, and Dennis were sitting in a room in the castle, with a guard posted at the door and another guard on the other side.
“What brings you to Harrison, my lord?”
“Your sister, Duchess Juniper, has requested your presence in Fayetteville.”
Her Grace Juniper, by the grace of God and Saint Peter Duchess of Waxhaw
“You’re her marshal, and a lord in your own right besides. She can’t have sent you just to deliver a message.”
“You’re right. If you will not accompany me voluntarily, Her Grace has authorized me to arrest you.”
Henry handed Holly the letter from Juniper, as well as the arrest warrant. Holly had the grace to glance at both documents before she spoke.
“No.”
It was the answer Henry had, unfortunately, expected.
The Duchy of Waxhaw, early June 2694 (including the rebel county of Sam's Throne). Duchess Juniper rules from Fayetteville, and her vassals Lord Gomer of Joplin, Lord Henry of Dardanelle, and Lord Clifton of Meramec rule from Joplin, Russellville, and Rolla respectively. A host of Northmen have sacked Springfield and the city of Republic.
Despite the Northmen that had sacked Springfield and were still raiding the surrounding countryside, the Revelationists in Arkansas and Waxhaw, and the various other threats that faced Waxhaw and Duchess Juniper, Holly was going to be stubborn.
“The allegations in this letter are ridiculous- why would I ever plot the death of my beloved sister and liege? Besides, Winona has been rotting in an Arkansas dungeon for years, and Juniper has done nothing to free her. She probably hopes Winona dies in Little Rock so she can inherit Springfield herself.” Holly had handed the letter and arrest warrant to Dennis, and he studied them while Henry tried to remember if he knew whether the heathen was literate.
Henry sighed. “Perhaps you’re right. I only know that Juniper has been trying to free your imprisoned sister and I was told that you were plotting against her.”
If Juniper had heard about Holly plotting against her, would she know about Henry plotting against that boy in Rolla? Henry decided he’d have to investigate and suppressed that thought while Holly and Dennis exchanged a look, and in the moment of silence Henry began to think about returning to Fayetteville. Hopefully he and his men wouldn’t have to fight their way out of Harrison.
Holly’s forehead smoothed and she turned back to Henry.
“Lord Henry, I shall allow you and your men safe passage out of Harrison. You can tell my sister that if she wants to talk to me, she can come drag me out of Harrison herself.”
Henry bowed.
“Thank you, my lady.”
“Don’t mention it.” Holly looked contemplative for a moment before summoning a servant to fetch some writing materials. After the girl had left, Holly said, “You can take a letter of my own back to Fayetteville.”
Henry smiled politely. “I’m sure Duchess Juniper will appreciate a letter from her beloved younger sister.” That reminded Henry that Duke Earl had had another daughter. “That reminds me, how is Sapphira?”
“She’s still studying under Abbot Abibo at Mount Judea, last I heard.” Henry noticed Dennis touch his Revelationist amulet.
“Is there a convent there?”
Holly frowned. “I believe there is, a small one.”
The serving girl returned with the writing materials, set them on the table in front of Holly, and left the room. After a moment, Henry smiled. “It’s a shame Abibo isn’t here, but I suppose he’s busy bringing the light of the Lord to the snake worshipers in the hills.”
Dennis didn’t move. Holly had placed a hand on Dennis’s leg and looked at his face with concern, but Henry saw the concern fall away as she turned back to look at Henry.
“Would you like to return to your men, Lord Henry?”
“Yes, my lady.” Henry recognized a dismissal when he heard one, and bowed again before he left the room and was escorted back to his men, who were waiting in the courtyard. Henry noticed Dedan, the captain of Holly’s guard, standing nearby and observing Henry’s men, who were mostly talking among themselves.
“Good day, Lord Henry.”
“Good day, Dedan. It seems I’ll be leaving to return to Fayetteville sooner than I had thought.”
Dedan looked slightly surprised, though he seemed to hide it, and Henry wondered how genuine his reaction was.
“Oh really? That’s a shame. You haven’t been here long.”
“That’s true. Duchess Juniper sent me with a message for her sister Holly, and now Holly is writing a reply for me to deliver to Juniper.”
“The duchess sent you here to deliver a letter?” Dedan also seemed skeptical that the Lord of Russellville and Marshal of Waxhaw was sent merely to deliver a letter.
Henry wondered what harm there might be in telling Dedan what had transpired between him and Holly. Surely the whole castle would hear about it soon, if the word wasn’t already spreading.
“Sure enough, I was sent to deliver a message. At the head of 20 armed men. Between you and me…” Henry took a step closer to Dedan and lowered his voice. “I would have done this differently.” Henry smiled.
“What do you mean?” Dedan looked like he was on the verge of taking a step back.
“If I had heard that my vassal and brother was plotting against me, I would have tried luring him away from his castle and falling upon him instead of sending men to deliver a message.”
“What?”
“It wouldn’t be the most honorable approach, but it might be more successful.”
“Is that some kind of threat?”
Henry stepped back. “Not at all, sir, don’t worry.” After a moment, Henry continued. “I do think that your lady should join her sister and fight against the Northmen- or, for that matter, the heathens in Arkansas- rather than fight her own blood, but that’s not my decision to make.”
Dedan looked confused, and Henry saw Dennis out of the corner of his eye and turned.
“Lord Dennis.”
“Lord Henry, my wife’s letter to Duchess Juniper.”
Sure enough, the letter was marked with Holly’s seal.
“How long until we have to leave?”
“Holly didn’t say, but the sooner this gets back to Juniper, the better.”
“True. It’s too bad we couldn’t stay until tomorrow morning, but perhaps next time.” Henry wondered if the “next time” would be at the head of an army laying siege to Harrison, and no doubt Dennis was wondering the same thing. Holly could call her banners and muster all the men she wanted- she should know that Juniper could defeat her in the field, even if only by having more men.
Dennis shrugged. “Maybe. I’ll go arrange for some food to be brought out for your men.”
“Thank you, Dennis. I’ll speak to my men.”
Dennis left and Henry walked over and spoke with his men. While none of them were happy about having to leave so soon, at least they were being allowed to leave without any trouble.
A light-haired man with a beard seemed to be in charge of the several serving girls and other servants who brought the bread, cheese, meat, wine, and cider out to Henry and his men, and while they ate and drank Henry thought he saw the man watching, but he didn't bother to introduce himself.
Lamar is definitely not the Spymaster of Sam's Throne. Officially, that is.
After they ate, Dedan, Dennis, and several other armed men escorted Henry and his men, but they turned their horses around and rode back to Harrison once they were a bowshot beyond the walls. Henry and his men made the trip back to Fayetteville without further incident.