(ORP) Ashton Court

Moderator: Community Team

Post Reply
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

(ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

OOC note: This will be Fallon's home thread. You are welcome to visit, but there is a little way to go before Fallon is resident to be visited. Please know also I have discussed the below with tpb Zuan and relevant permissions have been granted.


Fallon

As a result of various deeds of protection to the citizens of Fenia as they make their travels, most notably in the vicinity of Widu, it has been decided to award you a title of Lord, together with lands pertaining to that title.

The land granted is that of the manor in the commote of Widu known as Ashton Court.

Both the land and title shall be confirmed as yours upon removal of any undesirable elements as may currently reside within. The annual stipend which accompanies the grant will be payable upon your undertaking to continue the safeguarding of those travelling the roads.

This scroll is only to be passed by my herald once he has been satisfied that the conditions of the award have been met. Your possession of this scroll is to be acknowledged by the reader as rightful evidence of the bestowing upon you of the title Lord Fallon of Ashton.

Signed this Day 12th August 1660
Zuan Winterbourne
High King of Fenia
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

Fallon finished reading the scroll and paused. Scanning it quickly again he chuckled ‘’Well now, this is a turn of events’’ he muttered, more to himself than any others present, though that did not prevent them hearing in any event.

He eyed the herald “And this is from his smirkfullness direct?’’

The herald bristled at the disrespect in this statement and Fallon also noticed the nearest escorts stiffen. He smiled inwardly at their reaction, which, to him, confirmed the answer to his question more clearly than any words. The herald seemed to clear his throat before speaking. “His Majesty King Zuan had this document drawn up and signed it himself!’’ he announced with all the pomp he could muster.

You have read the message", he held his hand out ‘’You will now return to me the scroll. As it says, it is yours only once the conditions have been fulfilled’’ he haughtily proclaimed.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

Fallon fixed the herald in an unblinking pale eyed stare. It was the only outward sign of his irritation.

The herald stared back, unaccustomed to such treatment in general. The unyielding gaze seemed to turn paler as the herald watched and something behind it suddenly made his stomach turn. He actually felt some relief that he had not drunk anything recently. He was happy when the scroll was rolled and presented to him with an exaggerated flourish.

''I would presume that you know the location of this place? For until today I had not heard of Ashton Court * . I was headed back to Widu anyhows, so now would seem ideally opportune to pay visit, would it not?''

The herald heard the words, though there was a pause as they registered ''yes, yes of course'' he almost grovelled and then abruptly remembered where he was and who he was. He straightened up ''Of course! I was sent to escort you there and make sure the kings wishes are carried out!''

Fallon smirked slightly ''Then it seems as well I was returning, for you may have had a long wait were I going the other way eh!'' He laughed and clapped the herald on the back, enjoying the discomfort felt by the courtier.

Mounting his own grey Fallon glanced at those around him, the herald and the troop of 8 men at arms. The King's banner flickered in the breeze, the sunlight streaming through it and Fallon suddenly felt as if he had been punched hard in the stomach, then head. All breath left him, his mind reeling as the banner shuddered, shimmered and took on a different shape. The very land itself changed as his mind's eye drew forth distant echoes of a past buried deeper than it knew where to look. Words came unbidden into his head, a song sung by many voices ...

''Then fall in lads behind the drum
''with colours blazing like the sun
''along the road to come what may
''over the hills and far away'
'


The memory faded as quickly as it had hit, leaving Fallon eyeing the troop suspiciously as he bought his mount to heel and followed them up the road.


* OOC = If someone would wish to contribute to the history of Ashton Court, please let me know and this can be rp'd later on. Thank you.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

The first few hours of the ride passed without incident. There was little noise other than the sound of the horses hooves on the hardened earth that passed as a road. Fallon was quite content to follow up the small column and he mostly ignored the occasional glances that some of the soldiers threw warily behind them in his direction, mostly, unless of course he decided to meet their eyes and smile disarmingly such as to unnerve them, just a little bit.

The sunlight such as it was streamed through the trees creating a dappling effect, the birdsong quite pleasant to the ear, at least pleasant until a cantankerous Raven over enthusiastically added his ‘kraw kraw’ to the mix, seeming to enjoy the disruption he made. Fallon shook his head ‘’thanks Skwawk’’ he thought.

A few figures and a cart to the side of the road ahead took his attention and a switch unconsciously flicked in his head as he began to scan the surrounding trees, alert to any signs of danger.

Shape, size , silhouette. Any of these seeming out of place, amongst other indicators, could mean someone or something not wanting to be seen. And something wanting to remain hidden oft indicated danger.

He lofted Skwawk into the air, much to the Raven’s disgust ‘’go check’’ was all he said and the Raven began to fly over and around the trees lining the road.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

He watched the Raven for a short time. Skwawk flitted, if a great flapping, chorus of noise and crashing through the thinner branches of various trees could be called flitting.

Nothing out of the ordinary in any of that, an obnoxious raven reluctantly carrying out what he was bid. The troop and the herald pay not the slightest attention to any of this, nor for that matter the trader’s cart at the roadside, which, as he neared, Fallon saw had thrown rear wheel.

Two youngsters were picking fallen items off the road, unsure whether to replace them on the cart or not, the answer was given to them when one tried to replace an article, which displaced another that fell onto the road. A smashing sound was heard and a male voice berating the youngster who ran behind the cart and hid.

Fallon drew rein and dismounted his grey ‘’You look as if you could do with some help there’’ he stated.

‘’No need!’’ came back the nervy but curt reply ‘’me ‘n t’ kids will see to it!’’

Fallon smiled ‘’It wasn’t a question...and I would be impressed if those two could lift a cart so as you can get the wheel back on. Or perhaps is you who will raise the cart for them?’’ He headed around the cart to take a look at the wheel, it seemed to him that the wheel was actually held in place by a form of split pin which had sheared, causing the wheel to eventually slip the axle.

He thought for a moment ‘’would you have any rope?’’ he asked,

He received a short sarcastic laugh in return ‘’what we canna lift it, but one tug and it’s all good ?’’

Fallon’s eyes narrowed and the trader could swear that thay had turned a lighter shade of blue ‘’We can’t lift it, but the horse can I would think. Whatever, we shall try it’’ He stood up and moved towards the carthorse still hitched and looked sharply at the trader ‘’Do you have any rope or not?’’

Guiding the horse to the side of the cart opposite that of the errant wheel, he looped the rope he was given through the harness. He ran the other end across the cart to the axle where he tied it ‘We will get the wheel, your children can walk the horse on so it raises the axle and between us we should be able to get the thing in place ‘’ he looked across and received a brusque nod of assent.

The trader and Fallon retrieved the wheel and found it to be none the worse for it’s misadventure. Between them they manouvered the wheel into position and gave the order for the horse to walk on. The strain was taken and then the cart began to lift. Slowly the axle came up to the right height and Fallon and the trader were able to get the wheel slid back in place. The rope was cut and the cart settled back on four wheels.

‘’Now sort something as a split pin and you should be good to Fenia’’ Fallon reckoned out loud.

‘’Aye’’ was the reply ‘’I’ll find something that’ll do that job’’. The trader strode off around the cart, talking and calling to his children as he led his horse back to the front of the cart and began to harness it to the cart in preparation for moving off.

‘’We’ll be on our way as soon as this is done’’ he said, looking at Fallon ‘’You didn’t have to stop, it helped that you did though’’
Fallon chuckled inwardly, recognising the dismissal in the trader’s voice ‘’think nothing of it’’ he smiled, knowing how right he was. With a casual glance around Fallon made his way to his own grey and climbed into the saddle.

With the briefest of glances back at the trader and his children he heeled the grey into a canter and headed off up the road after the herald and his not so merry men.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

He had scarce settled the grey into her familiar pace when, almost to his disappointment, he saw an area ahead where a few horses had obviously and intentionally left the road. Approaching the spot he heeled the mare into a slow trot, then a walk as he took in the works taking place in the field alongside the road.

He leant forward in the saddle as he watched the herald waving and pointing to the accompaniment of the odd cry of ‘’you there…!!’’ and ‘’fix that…’’. He watched with near amazement as a rather large, gaudily coloured tent was erected. This was eventually accomplished, eventually meaning that Fallon had fed and watered himself and his horse whilst the men-at-arms scurried under the combined cajoling and cusses of the peacock (as Fallon had come to think of him).

Once complete a few things were hauled inside and in strutted the peacock leaving his weary men to quite simply look after themselves. No room at the inn for them, despite the thing being large enough for twice their number.

That was the point at which Fallon noticed how much the sky had darkened towards night. He patted his mare and spoke to her, praising her and happy at how she had patiently stood while he watched the proceedings.

He dismounted and took to brushing her and placing some fodder for her. Only when he was done did he look around. The men at arms were around a couple of fires talking between themselves as they ate whatever they had contrived to call food. He walked the mare to a thicket on the skirt of the clearing, slipping something over his hands he headed for a thick tree that he had already selected and leaving his mare unhobbled at the bottom, climbed up into it’s branches, selected the bowl that he had seen and settled into it. The last thing he did before sleep took him was tie a belt around his leg and the branch.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

His sleep was the dreamless sleep of one who had learned to quiet the roarings of the mind. To box them away for another time. The sleep of one who had grown accustomed to sleeping deeply when it was needed for it was oft unknown when this peace would be found again.

A warmth on his face woke him and Fallon blinked into the sunlight, momentarily irritated that he was unsighted. The aches of the night’s sleep would soon pass and he leant forward, undoing the tie that ensured he would not fall from the tree in the night.

Dropping the saddlebags to the ground, he whistled a low but carrying note and soon enough his grey appeared beneath the tree branches. ‘’Good morning Mistral’’ he said, swinging from the tree to take a foot on the mare’s back and from there to the ground where an ungainly roll bought him back to his feet.

The awkwardness of his roll irritated him. ‘’You are getting old’’ he chided himself ‘’or clumsy, complacent and clumsy’’.

Only the picket was awake at this time. Fallon nodded to him, received a nodded reply and from that point ignored him. He turned his attention to the grey, making sure she was fed, watered and uninjured, talking to her softly but efficiently as he did, tuning into the surroundings and smells and sounds.

In the back of his mind, his irritation still pricked at him like a needlepoint working deeper. He removed his jerkin, his shirt and forced himself to concentrate on a series of stretches and bounds that began to both free and clear his stiff muscles, and focus his mind. Once the stretches were complete a series of moves followed, imaginary strikes and counters delivered to non existent foes. At last satisfied he moved to the mare, talking to her once again as he unwrapped a pack she carried.

The twin blades as came from the pack were well crafted, the blades glimmered in the early light as the sun’s rays caught the runes engraved thereon. The blades were identical, long handled, yet one was black, topped by the white effigy of a creature, the other white and topped by a black effigy. He swirled the blades in the air, his breath now generating a fog around him as moves were repeated, added. This time it was the blades that parried and thrust and countered. A sheen covered him and caused the images engraved into his back to gleam and glisten with an intensity that almost seemed to be their own. Almost.

Only when this practice was complete did he turn his attention to food. First replacing the blades, he then reached into the bags he extracted some wrapped cheese and jerk and bit into each, sitting on the ground and stretching various muscles as he did. He swallowed a last mouthful, took a drink and replaced his shirt and jerkin.

A smile creased his hitherto impassive features as he abruptly called out ‘’Where are you, you great lummox!!’’
Last edited by Fallon on Sat Sep 03, 2022 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

An answering ‘’Fraaaak’’ and Skwawk landed on the grass infront of him and hop-skipped closer, deliberately making a show of bobbing his tailfeathers as he did.

Fallon shook his head at the creature, who in turn cocked his at Fallon and the two regarded each other for a few moments before some meat and a handful of berries were thrown Skwawk’s direction. Though Fallon could later swear that he heard the bird snort in derision at the ratio of meat to berry, Skwawk went to work and demolished the offerings as Fallon watched in amusement.

The camp had been packed and the troop was already moving off, so Fallon mounted the grey and fell in behind the peacock and his entourage. Skwawk took to the air for a few moments before coming to land on the grey’s hindquarters, promptly tucking his head under a wing.

One of the mounted troop held back slightly and Fallon soon caught him up. ‘’Morning’’ the rider spoke ‘’I have to confess that I have not seen a horse stand while being climbed all over before’’. Fallon smiled ‘’Hours of patience. And she trusts me and I her’’. Saying that, Fallon leant forward to pat Mistral’s neck and chuckles ‘’and even that fleabag behind me’’.

The guardsman ignored the raven as he looked too much as a bird of ill omen, the grey on the other hand attracted his appreciation. ‘’She looks a fine creature. By the way, I am Jaral’’, the guardsman extended his hand.

‘’Well met Jaral, I am Fallon’’. Each grasped the other’s wrist in the classic warrior’s handshake, ‘’and indeed she is’’ he smiled.

They managed to converse a little before a nasally whine ‘’You there at the back! Come here!’’ and Jaral had to trot on ahead, no doubt to receive the peacock’s rebuke for talking with Fallon.

Fallon simply chuckled inwardly and hoped that Skwawk could read his thoughts about where to do his business after all the berries he had been fed.

Although at little more than walking pace, Fallon felt no impatience or urgency. Instead it was one of those days where all seemed well, the sun shone, the birds sang and what breeze there was rippled the leaves and cooled the riders and their mounts.

They reached and skirted Widu, taking a path around and apparently less travelled than others, it also ran uphill, though that caused no change of pace in the already slow party’s progress. As the crest of the hill arrived a hand went up and the troop stopped.

A trooper trotted back to Fallon ‘’Would you come to the front? The honourable Herald of His Majesty King Zuan requires your prescence’’. Fallon’s lip curled in amusement and the grandiose title as he followed the trooper ‘’Wake up fleabag’’ he murmered over his shoulder.

On reaching the herald he was told ‘’You will find the hall that way’’ and a flourished arm ended in a hand which indicated an all but overgrown pathway leading away from the road.
User avatar
Fallon
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:11 am

Re: (ORP) Ashton Court

Post by Fallon »

Fallon looked at the herald, nodded and slid from his mount. He stroked the mare and whispered words in her ear which drew forth a whiny from Mistral.

He stood for a moment, stretching to ease muscles stiffened by some hours in the saddle and with a last glance at the rest of the party moved off down the trail. It did not take very long to realise that the trail was an overgrown access way, unused by any wheeled transport in a while. Not totally unused though, broken stems, crushed berries all told stories of passers by.

He squatted on his haunches briefly, thinking back to what he had been told ''a group'' he recalled, highway robbers most likely. But how many, some gangs were no more than five, some fifty times that number and occupied their own villages. He was not concerned of numbers that high, it was far too quiet and the sign available was not of those numbers, though five seemed also too few.

He silently cussed the lack of information that he had, stood a gain and moved slowly down the path until Ashton Court became visible. Or at least what was left of it did. A two story structure, shutters and doors long gone, ivy and other plants crawled the walls, only half of which seemed to stand with any strength. Outbuilding stood as shells and from one he heard a few snorts. He reckoned that was where their horses were and if so, was happy that the stabling area seemed only big enough for a dozen horses at most. That meant a dozen riders or so. His mind flipped flopped between baggage ponies, riding animals, doublings up and gave cause for consideration fourteen was the number he settled on. Maximum.

Fourteen and not a look out in sight. A slight shift in the wind gave an explanation as the smell of something cooking drifted on the air. Taking his time and staying within the treeline Fallon moved until he could satisfy himself that his approach was indeed unseen. He shook his head slightly, wondering if those that broke the laws were so untroubled by any pursuit that they abandoned all discipline.

The potential numbers within the building troubled him. As much a mistake as it was to not post watchers, it also meant that he was unable to even the odds slightly. He didn't think that there would be any support coming from the troops scarce out of sightline, but shrugged. He took a few deep breaths, made sure his blades were unimpeded and moved carefully to the main doorway. A hallway was in front of him, which appeared unoccupied, instead what noise there was came from a chamber to the right. He heard a mixture of voices, saw some backs of those seated. Another look around, it still seemed as all were in that one room.

An idea began to form, and as it did a loud burst of laughter erupted at some crude joke. This made up Fallon's mind and he strode to the interior doorway as the laughter quietened, several ribald comments and guffaws still being banded about.

He reached the doorway drew himself to his full height and, as some finally noticed him, boomed ''Gentlemen! Is this a private party or can anyone join in?''
Post Reply