Jessica Jackson
Stories
5
Chapters
1,060
Words
656.8 K
Comments
0
Reading
2 d, 6 h
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The Small Leak Middanhal After lying sleepless in her bed, Kate rose with the other kitchen girls and attended to her duties as usual. Breakfast was prepared and served before dirty plates and cups were brought back. There was a constant flow of servants entering and leaving the main kitchen room throughout the day, but Kate’s tasks kept her confined there for several hours. Eventually though, Cook told her to refill the kitchen vessels. Near the kitchen was a small room like a well, where a bucket…
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The Fruits of Treachery Middanhal The first day after Isarn’s uprising, every inhabitant of the castle could feel the tension soaking every room and space. Only one topic was discussed – Isarn’s revolt and the impending siege. Included in this was a particular story, constantly being traded back and forth. Many had been on the walls and watched the knight marshal be executed by the jarl’s forces when Captain Theobald would not surrender the Citadel; the rest of the residents, those who had not…
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Sacred Middanhal After the jarl of Isarn’s uprising, a period of violence in Middanhal followed. With the city guard being killed or kept back inside the Citadel, chaos ruled the streets. The jarl himself had returned north to his lands in order to finish the muster of all his soldiers. Most of their forces already assembled had departed with Eumund south, leaving only a small garrison of Isarn soldiers to guard the city and its streets, and many of them were spent encircling the Citadel and keeping…
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Subterfuge Tothmor While the outlanders were digging through the barricade, Leander and Hubert hurried towards the palace. The city streets were almost deserted; the siege had crippled it, and all those not occupied in its defence were staying indoors. Only the few soldiers guarding the district gates watched their progress as the king and count ran as fast as their armour would allow. “How many Blades can you gather quickly?” asked Leander as they raced through the second circle. “Most of them…
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Days of the Raven Tothmor Each morning after Leander had departed to take up position at the walls, Theodora moved to the council chamber. On the tenth day of the siege, she was barely out of the royal wing when her steward approached her. “Philon,” she greeted him with a nod. “You are eager to see me this morning.” “Your Majesty,” he answered with a bow and fell into pace next to her. “Count Argolis told me last night, but I did not wish to disturb you. He intends to proceed with laying…
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City under Siege Tothmor When the outlander herald returned to the walls to receive his answer, an arrow was shot and landed a few feet in front of his horse. He received no other message than this, and together with his retinue, he returned to the stockade built by the outlanders. The wooden defences seemed to stretch on for miles, as far as the heathmen could spot standing on their walls. It had several gates, which now all opened. From each of them issued forth several companies of red-robed soldiers,…
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A Lordly Gift Tothmor The following day, the news of two events made the city explode in excitement, anticipation, anxiety, or a blend of all three. The first was the completely unexpected wedding between the queen and the man already considered her hero. These tidings were coupled with the many rumours of what had happened to the whiterobes in one bloody night when so many of them fell. The temple of Hamaring was still closed, and a couple of Blades kept the curious neighbourhood boys away, though a few…
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Movements in Shadow and Light Tothmor The morning after their wedding, Theodora woke to find Leander already awake as he lay by her side. He was staring at the ceiling, but she managed to catch his attention. “Good morning,” she said, quietly but smiling. “And a very good morning to you,” he replied in the same fashion. “You seem pensive?” she commented. “These last few days have given me much to consider,” he responded. “When do you intend to announce that our sleeping habits have…
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Secrets in the Night Tothmor A look towards the west revealed the sun not far from the edge of the horizon. Once it set completely, the last evening bell would toll and all the gates in the city would be locked, separating the five city districts until morning. Hastening to avoid this, Troy and Leander were all but running as they moved along the central road in Tothmor. Since it was uphill and neither man had an impressive constitution, they were soon panting and gasping for breath. As they reached the…
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City of Divines Tothmor A few days passed until the story of ‘The Swordsman and the Queen’ was replaced by more dire tidings. The first soldiers from the Mearcian army arrived, sent ahead to bring word of the battle and their defeat. Within an hour, the news spread across the entire city. As the soldiers were brought to the first district to tell their tale, they did not have to go inside the palace; the members of court were so anxious to hear the news that they came half-running out of the palace…
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