erikstruben
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Registered: 06-2008
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The Green Knight Returns
A monastery somewhere in southern Veermark
The great chapel of the monastery was filled with white robed monks, here to see the ordination of a new brother to their ranks. At the head of the hall below the altar of the Lady, its silver chalice glittering in the candlelight, stood the Abbot of the monastery, and kneeling before him the one who would soon join the Order of the Swallow. The final stage of the novice’s initiation, the taking of the vows, begun a few minutes before was nearing its end.
“Do you vow to abstain from the acquisition of material wealth?” intoned the Abbot.
“I do so vow” replied the kneeling novice.
“Do you vow to abstain from the pleasures of the self, the drinking of alcohol, the consumption of fine foods, the taking of narcotics?”
“I do so vow”
“Do you vow to set aside the blade, to never again spill blood and cause the death of another?”
The novice hesitated at this, and then said, “I am sorry father abbot, that is vow I cannot make.”
The abbot raised his hand against the sudden hubbub from the assembled monks; silence again came to the chapel.
“Brother Ulrich, when you first came to us a year ago, half dead from the wounds you had received in battle in the south, and feeling guilty over the casualties you had received in attempting to reach your lord, you told me you had become disillusioned with your cause, sick of trying to find revenge for your slain father, and was willing to find a way to the Lady through peace.” “Was this all a lie, the year of training for nothing?” asked the abbot.
“I am grateful for everything you have taught me, father abbot” replied Ulrich. “But I cannot ignore the rumors that have been coming from the north, nor the letters that my brothers still in Algundy have sent me. I cannot abandon them and Algundy to their fate.”
“The arrogance of man, my son, what can one warrior do? the abbot said. “Your arrogance and need for vengeance will lead to a pointless death.”
“You forget father abbot, I am not alone, my time here has made me realise that, I have my brother knights at my side and the Grey Lady to guide me.”
And as for vengeance, I spent so long trying to find the necromancer that murdered my father, but during the course of my time here I came to realise, that even though that monster is the one that killed him, the church in Algundy is just as to blame, for not doing its job properly, for not spreading the word of the Lady, and for not protecting the faithful.”
“I must leave here and do my best to set things right, no matter what it takes.”
The abbot looked down at the man before him, and said a prayer to the Lady for his soul.
“Very well then, you will leave here immediately, there is no place for men of blood in the Order of the Swallow.
Ulrich raised his head, nodded and rose to leave, and walked down the aisle of the chapel ignoring the stares of the monks. “Wait” called the abbot. Ulrich stopped but did not turn back. “The vows you have taken here today, I expect you to keep them.” “Even though you will not become a monk, and no matter that I do not believe in your path, you are still a member of the clergy of the Church of the Grey Lady. Remember what you have learned here.”
Ulrich nodded his head again and walked from the hall.
An hour later, once again dressed in the green surcoat of his order, his long sword, Sanctus Trucido, strapped to his back, Ulrich strode towards the outer gates of the monastery. To his surprise, the abbot was standing just inside the gate waiting for him. “Before you go I have two gifts for you” he said as Ulrich approached. In one hand he held a mighty battleaxe and in the other a length of old white linen. “This axe I carried with me in my younger days when I marched beside your Grand Master. I have no need of it any longer,” he said handing the great axe to Ulrich. “And this” he said holding out the linen, “is the stole worn by the founder of this order, the wife of the founder of yours, the Chalice and the Sword, she died defending this monastery, without the use of violence. Take it and remember what you have lost here today and the hurt you go to cause.”
Ulrich accepted both items reverently. “Thank you father abbot, I will treasure them, and I will not forget what you have done for me.”
He turned to leave and walked from the monastery. The Abbot watched him go.
“Farwell” he said quietly. “Brother - no, Sir Ulrich, Carl of Algundy, Ridder of Veermark and Knight of the Church. When death comes for you, may you meet it bravely, and die swiftly and find your way to the Halls of Twilight.”
Sir Ulrich did not hear him, he walked away quickly, his eyes turned towards Algundy and the north.
He did not look back.
Last edited by erikstruben, 13/May/2009, 11:58 am
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