"This…this cannot be," said Captain Locke. "Lady Rowena, move away from
this spectre quickly."
Fred laughed at that. "My gentle Captain Locke, I am no phantom. Who you see before you is indeed the son of your Duke. I am Lord Frederigo D’Honaire. I did not die in the Southern Caves. But now is not the time to discuss this, nor the place. I must see my father and soon." A gasp arose from the merchant Pall who was now fingering hexes in the air. "Bloody dead men! Death and dead men…woe is me!!!" When some knights calmed the poor merchant (with the aid of the Chanticleer) Locke continued with Fred. "Has my Lord a nickel to spare?" The Captain was not naïve, he would not accept the word of some unknown man…and as for Rowena, she had already exhibited strange behaviour. Locke had heard of dopplegangers and the transmutations of wicked wizards was well documented. He would find this man out by using the signals of the Guard D’Honaire. Fred smiled. "You are a good man, and loyal to my father. My Lord has two nickels and a copper at the ready." "And whose service would they be ready for?" "The service of Duke Magnum and his fair Lady Lizabeth." Locke was still in turmoil. This man who said he was Lord Fred knew the responses. Only gentry would know the ancestors of the Family D'Honaire, and few would think to call upon them by name. Yet everything he had heard, the reports he had read, all pointed to the death of Lord Fred. There was also one other item he had learned about while searching for the Lady Rowena. "My Lord," said Captain Locke. "Your cloak is soiled and torn. Let me give you one worthy of your state." Fred hesitated. His father’s guardsman was cunning and intelligent. This was no simple offer. Yet he was so close to home, and soon he would have his father’s confidence. Fred knew that to say no would arouse suspicion, and that allowing these guardsmen to see his armor would raise more than just eyebrows, but what else could he do? "Thank you, my dear Captain Locke." With that Fred took off his cloak and reached out for the new one proffered. Yet the eyes of all the guards and especially of Captain Locke were on Fred’s red armor, the fine metal mesh seemed to flash in the light of the sun. Etched into the armor were runes that spoke of an ancient fight, upon the right breast plate was engraved a pair of syglls and on the left was the image of a serpentine dragon. Finally Locke gave Fred the new cloak and he put it on covering the armor and its arcane symbols. Locke looked at Fred, "You have much to discuss with the Duke." "Yes I do," said Fred, "More than you could imagine."
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9/15/2000 9:04:01 AM
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