Greggan

Greggan awoke to his stomach growling, the sun shone brightly above him cutting through the cracks in the floorboards. He looked around the store to find Flick was missing, he must have gone above to break his fast. Some of the bags of onions had fallen over in the tussling and spilled into the floor, Greggan thought of picking them up but his stomach yelled at him again so he decided to see if there was anything made to eat. Avery was normally the cook on the ship so his hopes for food was low, he may have to make the ships meal since flick was too young and Ertimus had to steer the ship.

He exited the stairs leading to the deck of the ship the sunlight left him blind for a few seconds as his eyes had to adjust to the light. Ertimus stood at the helm, his clothes had begun to look well worn, fraying at the seems of the sleeves and cuffs. his pants had begun to shred where there was cloth, even his face had begun to look worn. Greggan smiled up at him but Ertimus just watched the ocean ahead of him, stone faced and unblinking.

The daemon was buzzing around his head darting randomly as if he were playing a game, the daemon caught sight of Greggan and rocketed towards him. He changed into a cat and landed gracefully at his feet. "good morning daemon." Greggan said smiling as the Daemon grunted back at him, he hated when Greggan called him just daemon and he knew it. "I'm afraid it's not a good morning, poor Flick fell overboard last night. Poor thing. " He shook his cat head feigning " I fear our ship is cursed. We will be making port today, the Oakleaf's little city is ahead and they may be loyal to the Magestrate but are friendly enough to southern mages."

"So no more traveling by water, I really hate water." Greggan had his fill of the sea and its monsters and storms. He still didn't know what had happened to Avery, and now Flick was dead as well, swallowed by the waves.

"I believe Ertimus has as well. He romanticizes adventures often forgetting they tend to end with losses, Flick was the last straw for him I believe." Flick was of course the youngest, a dark one from the east who had been sold first to a man who enjoyed boys as one would women but was stolen almost immediately by the slavers who sold them to the Deadmen. He was small and had eyes like sapphires and dark skin, his black curly hair was like wool. The other boys always babied the boy because he was so young,

The trip had gone unbothered by storm or foe, Greggan made some vegetable soup that was nuke warm and most of the vegetables remained a bit hard and undone but it was better than raw onions and beets. He layed lazily on the deck until he heard Ertimus yell excitedly. " Port ho!"

In the distance a large castle peaked in the distance, Oakwood the home of the family Oakleaf an ancient line of nobility boasting some of the first mages in Thre'as history as well as the first Autumn witch. The castle boasted the only other Fire maple in the realm, one much older and home to a great hive of pixies to which they used to power their city, the methods they used they passed on to Autumnveil so they could harvest pixie dust to power their city as well.

The trees red leaves made the giant twisted trunk look to be on fire, and as it grew it eventually became taller than the highest tower in the castle often leaving a whole side under the cover of its large red leaves. Greggan had never heard of the Oakleafs and their pixie castle but Ertimus had been her a few times with his father.

He told him stories of the Oakleafs and their castle and their city built inside the walls. " the common folk live in the castle as well, their city build inside the walls of the castle. Their lands were mostly woodlands un-developed, they preferred to fish the sea and send their children to work for the magestrate. They disliked my father, he likes to think himself a leigelord of the south even though our house is just a minor one, his oppinions on the magestrate were well known and he isn't loved by the southern magelords. Too ambitious they clam."

Ertimus had his daemon and Greggan drop the sails and they coasted slowly to the bustling port, which was filled with fishing vessels and pleasure barges docked or leaving. There were sailors from all over the realm flying their banners across their great sails, some ships had celebrations going on, the crews happy to be docked at land for a while. The taverns and brothels that lined the port were bustling with business, wenches cat called at the men that passed by offering themselves for coin.

"i see a maiden fair, tulips and daisy's spun round her hair, dreading my leave she stood on the shore, oh oh my maiden fair, my heart and my thoughts remain there. oh oh maiden fair!" Ertimus had begun to sing an old song Greggan recognized from the men who visited his brothel. Mostly seamen singing their shanties as they hoisted their ales and wooed the wenches that took their coin. Greggan began to sing along allowing the tune to raise their spirit as the made their way to dock.

A dockhand waved them in, he was a lanky man of five and thirty with peppered hair that was greasy and plastered to the side of his face, his clothes were common at best, wool breaches and a brown dirty shirt. He carried a stack of papers and a large quill who's ink had stained the mans fingers and left spots on his sleeves that were frayed. "state your business, I don't see any traveling papers, no inventory lists neither, an you look barely passed a boy of twelve." He was looking Ertimus over and scanning the deck for anymore sailors other than this boy, He quickly realized there were no more sailors. " My name is Ertimus Windsal, future lord of WindsalFalls. I was taken captive by The Deadmen. My comrades and I overtook the crew. We are hoping the Magelord here will allow me some assistance home."

"i don't see no crew, just you, that's very suspect if you ask me. You carry no proof of your claims i bet." Ertimus looked annoyed but tried to remain polite. " Most of my crew died before we all could make it here do to various circumstance. All that's left is myself, my ward and my Daemon." At the mention of his daemon the man had a sudden look of fear, " You're no damn Autumn witch! Eryone knows Autumn witches have red hair and yours is as black as night. Be off with you before I call the guard to deal with your lying arse."

Ertimus had enough of this folly, he had grown angry and was not used to being called a liar nor his name not command attention. "Eos, come to me." The Daemon crept from the shadows choosing the form of a bramble beast, its body towering down on the Deckhand below as it let out a loud roar causing the motion going on about the port to stop and the noise of business be replaced by silence. "I assume my validity has been proven." Ertimus said with an arrogant tone.

"So maybe you is an Autumn witch, that don't make anything else just as true." His voice was faking bravery, he had orders to fulfil though normally fishermen and merchants enter his docks not little mage-lordlings on a stolen slavers ship. "I'll send for the harbor master, let him deal with you."

The raggedy man scurried off down the dock and stopped a nearby guard, or at least Greggan thought he was a guard though he wore no armor but thick brown robes with a large leaf imprinted on the back, He wore a silver and bronze embroidered doublet underneath, he wore brown leather breaches held at the waist with a leather belt carrying a long dagger with a black wooden handle.

The guard looked their way as the dockhand pointed with a mean scowl on his face. To their surprise the guard went onward into the chaos of the port, the commotion had only paused for a moment before returning besmirched.

"Do you think he is getting the harbor master or more guards." Greggans voice squeeked as he spoke, he had taken to hiding behind Ertimus and Eos, " most likely both, and if the Harbor master was smart he would call on the Lord of the house just in case my tale is true as to not slight the house I belong to." Ertimus smiled, though behind his smile there was a little fear, up till now Ertimus was the only magic user amongst them, his power was sufficient to handle most of their misfortunes even with the losses they occurred. Now they were in a mage city where the guards were a mix of mages and Autumn witches who were all more learned in magic.

"You Lords are confusing. you all hate each other but don't want to offend one another." Greggan was no good at politics, and he was not used to the world of the upper class, how to navigate it. "I know, its a strange dance, enemies can become family with one marriage or favor, even a tribute can turn a slight into a subordinate. I don't like it much either, but my father has played the game of nobility as a master and has amassed great power and respect in the south and in the North, if his name is worth its salt we should be received well here."

Ertimus placed the hand that wasn't resting on the hilt of his titan sword, less than twenty minutes had passed before a group of guards came down the wooden path of the docks from the Large castle that rested above. The followed a man with red hair in beautiful red robes that looked like blood as it fowed behind him, he wore a purple doublet with gold and red stripes that brought the eye to the golden broach that was in the shape of a gold maple leaf.

Ertimus grabbed Greggan and force him into a low bow, "Lord Oakleaf, it is my greatest honor to meet a mage such as yourself." A great grin came across his face showing his pearly white teeth, his eyes were so blue they seemed like small oceans, " I am flattered lad but you are mistaken, My father is lord I am just his second son Jessep Oakleaf." Ertimus walked down the ramp from his boat to the dock his hand still resting on his sword but it was more relaxed. He strolled almost, Greggan followed behind a bit less gracefully.

"you claim to be Lord Windsals son and heir, is that so?" The young lord offered his hand and Ertimus took it, " Aye ser, I'm Ertimus Windsal of Castle Falls to the south. Perhaps if your Lord father allows it we could host you and yours at our halls." Of course that would not be, Northren mages were sworn to the citadel and considered the southern magelords to be un-Learned mages since they tended to have magical training done in their own lands.

"Perhaps when the south follows their brothren to the citadel and pledge fielty to Merimore." The mage led the boys up a wood planked path that eventually became cobble stones. the street was rather small, large enough for two horses to walk side by side, but not large enough for carts or merchant tents to be set up along the side. The actual city seemed less like a bustling merchants town and more like a hamlet with a dock at its shore.

The town was clean and had trees worked through out it, all tall oaks that had magically been modified to have branches twisted into stair cases and odd streets that seemed to grow along the canopy and all led to tower like buildings who's doors opened onto the twisted tree streets. There were ground level houses and shops but it was obvious the design was to keep the ground level more clear and clean. The city was gorgeous to behold and at its center was Oakwood, the castle made to look as though it was a great wide oak tree, even the shingles on the tower roofs were in the shape of leaves. Its black stone bricks were covered in a beautiful green moss and vines. There was a large Fire maple that covered the back half of the castle with huge draping branches that made the Castle look as though it was on fire.

"Is this your first time here lad?" Jessep had been strolling along the streets with his guards as if he had no worries in the world, Ertimus however was not so trusting, Greggan watched Ertimus as he looked around the area almost constantly as if he were afraid of an ambush. "These lords are strange, they speak kindly to each other but fear betrayal at all times." Greggan walked quietly until they came to a moat, well it was like a moat with long vines as thick as tree trunks with Thorns like blades that seems to make a buzzing sound as the vines writhed below. There was no water just the bones and carcasses of anything that happened to fall into it.

There was a large silver bridge that looked closer to a tree than to an actual drawbridge, it shined against the light as it stood reaching to the sky above. "is that Titan wood?" Ertimus said as he clutched his own titan tree sword. " Aye, it was a gift from the elves of the Ire to my father for his hand in helping them before i was born. Its his crown jewel, I dare say he loves that bridge more than me." They laughed at the jape, except Greggan who watched as the bridge was lowered.

The vines in the moat below pulled back from the area under the bridge as it came down, revealing more bones at the bottom. " Devils vines, terrible things, but theyre alot better at keeping out invaders than water." they moved across the bridge as Jessep told Ertimus all about the famous castle and how their families first mage built it and how the elves had gifted them many great things including the fire maple and the titan tree bridge.

Ertimus as to not be impolite just smiled and asked more questions about the great family, a beggar can not offend his host and Ertimus had no plans of being a captive or to offend the family into possibly killing him. " I do believe there is no reason as to why my family and yours couldn't be allies. My father wants no power in the north and neither do i when i take his place. I believe there's room for two governments just like there's room for multiple religions." Ertimus wanted to keep telling their host that theirs peace in the south without bending any knees or pledging oaths. He also kept repeating that he was not promised to be wed to any house.

Greggan understood the idea, promises of friendship and the hint of a marriage pact was always enticing to lords be them magical or not. " sadly for my father his only daughter is twice your age and belongs to the magestrate now, I do have a fourth brother who may be interested." he laughed again at his own jape, his guards followed but Ertimus did not this time. "I may not be a man grown yet but I know what to do with a women!" he grabbed the front of his breaches causing the whole host to erupt in laughter.

"that you do! maybe tonight we will go down to Acorn Lounge and see!" Jessep had wrapped his arm around Ertimus laughing and telling jokes back and forth between them, some slights meant in jest others filthy about maidens and what they'de do to a few red haired beauties. The talk was much to grown up for Greggan who decided to fall back with some of the guards. "You alright lad? A grizzly sounding guard said, he was flat in face with a flat nose and dark eyes, his robes were the same as the other guards they had seen, brown with a doublet underneath with the oakleaf of their liege on the breast.

"I'm fine, i'm just tired, our journey had been long and full of terrors and i'm glad to be done with the sea." The mage decided to dig a bit further ," Where are you from lad, your accent seems of the south as well." Greggan had almost forgotten," I'm Greggan La'velle, bastard born from the capitol." The guards eyes widened, he knew why the boy seemed off, "My Gods you were there weren't you. I'm sorry lad i bet you still hear those screams." He was right, Greggan did still hear all those screams when he closed his eyes, "aye, but its not as bad as the blue light i see when i close my eyes." The guard shook his head, "it was an evil thing they did, Arcane storms are dreadfully powerful things, able to kill even Black fire phoenixes but it also destroys everything in its wake."

" it also leaves behind the blue energy monsters." the guard stopped " there were arcane wraiths there too. terrible things, nasty, once they infest a place they just about never let it go. nasty business, I'm sorry lad." Greggan grew tired of the apologies and decided to go back up front where the air was merrier. The bridge seemed to be miles long but it could have just been the pace to which the company had chosen to go. almost at a crawl as they laughed, Greggan just wanted to get to the gate on the other side.

"i would love to be inside before evenfall." Greggan thought to himself, his mood was turning foul as time progressed, his age had started to show and he was tired, hungered for something other than seagulls and turnips. He wanted to sleep in a bed and not n some sacks on the floor, and most of all he wanted new clothes. His smelled of piss and sweat and weeks of grime, he swore you could see the smell come off him. He wasn't used to much comforts but his mother had always made sure he was bathed often and always had clean clothes and three meals.

Of late he was lucky to get one meal as they depleted most of their food supplies except a few bushels of strong white onions and cabbages. Neither him or Ertimus wanted to eat it as they were not great at cooking and would just toss some seawater in a pot and boil it all up. the taste was hard and was even less filling than water itself.

The group picked up pace as a garrison on horseback carried more Mages to meet them. " is everything of account Lord Jessep?" An older mage sitting atop a large grey stallion inquired, he also wore the garb of the guards but his doublet was silver with three golden stars pinned across the right breast. " gren- mage Allister I would like you to meet the young Mage-lordling Ertimus Windsal. Send word to my father that we have an honored guest." The garrison led them through he gates, this time they were all silent as they entered the courtyard of the castle.

Greggan heard a small voice in his ear "Now we see if these Oakleafs are noble or not." Eos had become a ladybug and set himself on Greggans shoulders, "We see if they are friends or if they planned some treachery." Greggan hoped not, he even prayed to all the gods he knew of, he didn't want to see anymore death or cruelty, not today.

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