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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 88: Falconis City
At last, the Lone Falcon had reached the Falcon Spire, capital of the Black Falcons and the headquarters of the Rebel Resistance. The nearer the Spire loomed, the crowds became thicker, making it very difficult to proceed with speed. The Lone Falcon whispered a few calming words to LEGO and pulled to the left, turning the horse and cart out of the push of crowds and along the wall of the Black Falcon’s Fortress, the long stretch of walls and towers that surrounded and protected the Falcon Spire and Falconis City.
For ten minutes the cart bumped down a narrow path parallel to the wall until a small, ornate entrance appeared. This was the orginal gateway into the Black Falcon’s Fortress when the Black Falcons had been a tiny faction scrabbling for life. When, through war and conquest, the Black Falcons became properous, half of the Black Falcon’s Fortress was torn down and rebuilt with a larger and more grand city enterance, leaving this humble opening in the wall to be forgotten by many.
Only one Black Falcon gaurd patrolled the wall, and the Lone Falcon reconised him at once. His name was Vanderdious, and he was a high-ranking member of the Rebel Resistance, an expect in everything from voice mimicking to costumes to realistic face masks. Today he was posing at Jek, a common low-ranking guard with a lisp.
“Lo’, iffis s’aint Lone Fals’con, yer gov’sners’ship!” Vanderdious quipped.
“Evening, good sir.” replied the Lone Falcon, smiling.
“Nary a soul’s seen yer gov’sners’ship since the bwrawls in the Black Eye Pub!”
“The black bird has flown the coop.” replied the Lone Falcon. The phrase didn’t seem to fit into the conversation, but Vanderdious’ manner changed instantly, as did his manner and his speech.
“Cows in the pasture?” he responded eagerly.
“And ready for milking.” was the reply.
“In the barn, or in the shed?”
“Neither, the marketplace.”
Vanderdious whistled.
“Milkmaids will rise at dawn.” he assured.
“I will provide the pails.” the Lone Falcon responded.
The exchance was over. Vanderdious became Jek again and grinned lopsidily at the Lone Falcon.
“‘Twas good to catch sights of ye, yer gov’sners’ship, sir.”
“Likewise.”
The Lone Falcon bid the guard farewell and entered the city.
The Lone Falcon continued for ten minutes, his cart twisting and turning in the narrow streets of Falconis. Once or twice the cobblestones jammed the wheels of the little red cart, and the Lone Falcon had to use his trusty spear to get the cart moving again. Soon he was deep in the city and the Falcon Spire seemed to tower forever into the sky ahead. But the Lone Falcon did not head for the Spire. Instead, he turned left into and alleyway and pulled up into a dingy stall.
Cooing to LEGO, he removed the horse’s harness and fed and watered him before closing the stall door and rolling the cart into a corner. This task done, the Lone Falcon entered a door almost completly obscured by saddles and dissapeared into the wattle-and-daub building. It was dark inside, for all of the windows were shuttered. The building had been abandoned long ago by it’s orginal owner when a three-story complex had been built right in front of it, snuffing out most of the light and air.
The Lone Falcon did not hesitate and called out. “Come out, Mayriz. The smelly Orge is gone, the Sorting is complete.”
The password finished, the Lone Falcon turned to the nearest wall and began to smash his spear into the dried mud.
“What the tyco are ye doing, your govern’ship?”
A plump housewifey-looking woman had emmerged from a cubboard and was standing, hands akimbo, staring at the Lone Falcon with raised eyebrows.
“The cows are in the marketplace and the milkmaids rise at dawn, I promised the pails would be ready.” the Lone Falcon responded cryptically.
As with Vanderdious, Mayriz's manner changed instantly.
“Now, during the attack on the Yellow Castle?”
“Yes. What news of late?”
Mayriz grabbed a leathal-looking butcher knife covered in dust from a table and began hacking at the wall as well. The Lone Falcon has already made a sizable hole and object within were glinting dully.
“Marquis d’Durlass is sitting in for Falconis XXVIII until he returns from overseeing the Falcon Troops into battle.”
“Excellent, Vanderdious will easily be able to immitate him.”
Mayriz gasped. “The Black Bird has flown the coop and the cows are ready to be milked?”
“If we do not act now, all will be lost. Once Falconis XXVIII is alerted of the existance of Bull Isle he will not rest until at last the Bulls are crushed forever! This is the opprotune moment...in fact it is the only chance we have. We must strike hard and fast and where it hurts the most…”
The Lone Falcon threw down his spear, grabbed hold of the shiny objects in the decimated section of wall and tugged. Three short swords pulled free with a clang. The Lone Falcon threw them to the floor and continued his hacking.
“Mayriz, Vanderdious is aware of the situation and is...rousing the milkmaids. Go and alert Bersun, Xoneyur and Mills. Also get Gaffner and Forden to secure a large wagon and help me gather the rest of the...pails. We need to work fast, there is no time for error!”
The Lone Falcon had almost completely demolished half of one wall when two figures, walking outside the building, stopped and said carefully, “Gathering the...pails, Lone Falcon?”
“Aye, but I’d go alot quicker with two strong lads like ye helping me! Where’s the wagon?” was the labored responce.
“Near the stable...here, you’ll wind yourself. Take a breather.”
The two brawny twenty year old brothers, Gaffner and Forden, entered through the large hole and took up where the Lone Falcon had let off.
“Thanks lads, I’m not as young as when I shoved that spear up the Ogre’s finger…” smiled the Lone Falcon.
Forden grinned as he yanked a pike free. “Do you think you’ll ever go back there, Lone Falcon?”
“Never. That is the type of experiance I want behind me. Now, to business. Report, please.”
“Vanderdious is all groomed up and ready to put some words into the Marquis’s mouth,” informed Gaffener, “And Freena has returned from scouting. It seems some upstart Falcons have muntinied agaisnt Falconis XXVIII and have joined the Allied Army.”
“Really? And why wasn’t the Resistance aware of their ill-feelings? We could have recruited them....no matter, continue.” puzzled the Lone Falcon.
“Casulty reports are high. Orion has fallen, but the Allied Army retreated to let some -- what were they, Forden?”
“Freena said they were either Dragon Masters who had gone tipsy or gone mad, for they were wearing bright pink.”
The Lone Falcon blinked. “Pink?”
Gaffner nodded, a grin spreading over his face, “Yessir, pink. They certainly didn’t look like Del Grakken’s men.”
The Lone Falcon sat up.
“That was why they were pink!” he exclaimed, “They were not taking orders from Del Grakken, they were the Dragon Masters hiding in the Neverwood, the Dragon Masters loyal to Lord Void!”
“Yes, but now they have no king. Freena reports both airships were destroyed with all hands. No remains of Lord Void OR Del Grakken have been found as of yet.”
“That was the risk everyone took. Alright, enough on the events south. Try to hurry and get these pails to the milkmaids as soon as possible so they can go south to aid the Allies.”
Both brothers turned.
“The milkmaid’s aren’t storming the Spire?” asked Gaffner.
“No. A certain high-ranking official has taken care of access to the Spire. Lord Drakko was most helpful.”
Forden nodded his assent. “If it wasn’t for him, the Resistance would have fallen long ago.”
“That is very true,” replied the Lone Falcon, “Alright, I’m off. I need to aquire some pink dye for the milkmaid’s new...dresses, and then I'll go to the Spire. Tonight, all Black Falcons will learn of King Falconis XXVIII’s true self, and what a dispicable man he really is!”
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