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"Don’t mention it. Help us turn this rabble into something and you’ll more than have paid your own way." Almost in mid breath, Alexi stopped and glanced over my shoulder and his face turned amusingly grim. "You probably don’t want to know who’s coming your way Kaius." |
My stomach dropped and with it my expression as I sighed in painful annoyance. "It’s Sepula, isn’t it." |
"Yep... With his arms full of scrolls." |
Blowing out a breath as heavily and loudly as possible, Alexi laughed out loud and Avita was left looking at the Imperial man hurrying in our direction. "He doesn’t look that threatening." |
"Sepula would struggle to slay anything more dangerous than a mouse. But he’s the Order’s scribe." |
"And the biggest thorn in Kaius’ side." Alexi added helpfully. "He doesn’t look happy." |
"That would be because I wandered off today without telling him when and where I was going." |
Both Avita and Alexi were left laughing as I turned and tried not to feel crushed with the reappearance of my responsibilities. They both knew from their own experiences how it felt to be in command, and despite my own reservations I knew that I was slowly growing into the role of Knight Commander, even coming to enjo... |
"My lord." Sepula said as he came over to me, and I had enough experience with him to know that he was annoyed. "I have missives for you." |
"I’ll have to leave you with Alexi for now," I said to Avita as I tried not to sag under the expectation of more paperwork. "but welcome to the Knights of the Nine." |
The ground heaved under Trygve and I could feel every shuddering jolt of his hooves striking the ground with the force of a smithing hammer. Every impact drove its way up my legs, through my very bones and into my spine and I swore that he was cracking Tamriel from the force of his charge. This was what he was bred for... |
His size and his strength was what set apart knights from other cavalry throughout the Empire and in en masse there was very little that would be able to stop them. While fully armoured such as he was at that very moment and myself on his back, he was fully capable of charging a spear wall or Legion shield wall and bre... |
My entire world though was compressed into a slit half the width of my finger wide across my eyes, a sliver of colour amidst the darkness of my helmet. Besides the rumbling of the ground under Trygve’s hooves I could see and hear little besides my own thunderous heart, shuddering breaths and the creaking and clanking ... |
For those brief moments before we came together I felt my heart begin to hammer until it threated to burst, my mouth growing dry and my entire body tensing with expectation even as I struggled to keep the tip of my lance steady. It was far too long, far too heavy. Far heavier than even the largest of greatswords and t... |
It was as though one of the gods had stepped down from oblivion and punched me in the chest, and not one of the nicer gods but the likes of Malacath or perhaps even Mehrunes Dagon. Even though I tried to twist and roll my shoulder as I had been taught it was to no avail and one second I was seated in Trygve’s saddle, ... |
The second impact on my back and spine drove the last clinging remnants of my breath out of my lungs and despite the vison slit my sight turned to black. My entire universe had somehow managed to shrink even further until all that remained was blackness and a body consumed with agony and I struggled to breathe, let al... |
Time itself lost all meaning as I lay on the solid surface that my mind was somehow identifying to be the sky and all I could do was lay there, feeling the crawling pinprick sensation across my chest that transformed into a cold spike of pain with every breath. The fact that a rib was broken was somehow less galling t... |
Without warning the darkness was wrenched away with a click of metal and I found myself staring up into the clouds, and my armoured opponent looking down over me atop his own steed. |
"How you feeling?" |
"Like I just took a couched lance to the chest." I said, gasping and groaning in agony as the broken rib or two made themselves felt. "I have broken ribs." |
"I’m not surprised." Alexi said good humorously as he twisted and dropped the butt of his lance into the leather holster on his saddle and made several gestures. "You practically threw yourself on it." |
Before I could finish gathering my thoughts hands were grasping and tugging on my armour and checking me over before carefully lifting me up. If it wasn’t for my vampirism I would have struggled to hear them at all through the thick padding and heavy sallet helm I wore but they seemed content that my injuries were min... |
"Good thing they gift you legionaries with thick skulls." A crate was dragged over at his gestured command and another pair of knights moved over and assisted Alexi in climbing out of his saddle. The fact that he was almost perpetually grinning and struggling not to laugh was not helping my painful mood. |
"I certainly would prefer having my feet on the ground. It seems safer." |
"But you are getting better though. You actually hit me this time and not many people manage that." |
"Getting myself unhorsed is an instant win for you though, right?" |
"In a tournament maybe, but this is still just training." |
My helm was tugged free of the grip of the padded coif that had stuck to my scalp with sweat and with it my hearing improved to the point of no longer needing my vampirism to properly hear everyone. Breathing was still difficult but it did become easier as straps were released and leather belts undone and the layers w... |
"Training is still painful enough." |
Everyone, including Alexi laughed at my grim humour but they knew that it was true. The men and women assisting us were all Knights of the Nine themselves and had also gone through similar training over the previous weeks. At seventy kilograms, the armour was crude, heavy and unyielding and the padding made it impossi... |
Learning to fight on horseback was a challenge and while I enjoyed learning something new I couldn’t help but feel comfortable with my feet on the ground and in my lighter armour that allowed free range of movement. In battle the knights would be wearing lighter, thinner armour in comparison to allow them to change to... |
Eyeing my battered breastplate where Alexi’s lance had struck it, I could see the dent that had been added to the number it had already gained over the previous weeks and grimaced. As far as I could tell by the pain in my chest, at least one of my ribs were broken, and one or two more could possibly have hairline frac... |
It was proving very effective in showing just how deadly it would be on the battlefield. A blunted lance, with the full weight of warhorse, its rider and their collective armour behind it could still break bones through several inches of padding and reinforced plate armour. It was a grim thought in my mind when I cons... |
Despite my misgivings and initial inclination not to learn to ride and tilt, I knew I didn’t really have a choice. As Knight-Commander I would be required to lead the Order in battle and as the Order’s entire strategy revolved around the knights I had to become one of them. Viconia was finding it immensely enjoyable w... |
A crude wooden stool was dragged over and a soft, but firm hand on my shoulder lowered me into it. One of the many new arrivals since the Order’s founding, Brellin was a soft spoken Bosmer with far too many lines etched into his face. Wrinkles and ritualistic tattoos covered most of his flesh but unlike many of us he ... |
"Fell off a horse again commander?" |
"You know me Brellin. My boots are better suited tasting dirt." |
Dragging over his own stool he sat down and began lightly prodding the padded tunic I wore and taking note of the slightest of winces or reactions from myself. "You know this would be a lot easier if you and the other ex-legionaries would actually show pain." |
"Sounds like a common issue." |
"Oh it is." His tone was light as he carefully lifted up part of the tunic and gazed at the fresh purple-black bruising that was already blooming underneath. "Thankfully I could count all the ex-legionaries in this Order on one hand but you all seem to be my regular patients. I thought the Arena was tough, but the way... |
As I pulled off one of my cotton gloves off with my teeth I felt the chilled touch of his fingers that was not of a result of his body heat. The tingle of magicka and the pressure in the back of my skull spoke of the magicka he was using but instead of a simple restoration spell he was using something different. |
"So how bad is it this time?" |
"Two broken ribs and a pair of greenstick fractures." He said, gazing at the pulsating collection of muscles, bones, veins and the odd organ or two in my chest. It was always disconcerting watching his illusion magicka strip back the layers of someone’s body with invisibility spells. He had enough control that he coul... |
Lowering my shirt and dissipating the magicka that had turned the outer layers of my chest invisible he sighed and gave me an expression of mild annoyance. "I’ve done what I can but I would recommend not taking a lance to the chest until the day after tomorrow. There’s nothing stopping you partaking in normal training... |
"Thanks Brellin." |
"No need to thank me Commander. Auri-El guides my hand and brought me here to serve. I’m proud to serve the Knights of the Nine." |
"And we’re certainly glad to have you. How are your assistants faring?" |
He shrugged. "Malvssa needs more confidence in her abilities but she will become a fine healer. Enronriel is also doing well even after last week." |
"Finding yourself faced with a sucking chest wound can ruin your day." |
As he collected his bag and tucked the strap over a shoulder he laughed darkly. "The problem with healers is for the most part we never see, let alone deal with true injuries. Sprains and strains, fevers and sicknesses and maybe the odd plague or two is about the most we will ever see. Many of those who come here seek... |
"But not you?" |
Brellin shook his head but the smile was darker. "My faith has already been tested. Numerous times in fact. I share memories of dark times and terrible events and like you and your Knights I am prepared for what is to come. There are others that all I can do is guide and pray for them." |
"As I have said, I am glad that you are with us." |
"Thank you Commander. Maybe next time you get injured you could at least act like it for me? It’s disconcerting seeing someone with broken ribs sitting calmly and talking." |
"I think I suffered a broken bone every week for six months when I joined the Legion." I replied, rising to my feet and feeling the aching of horribly bruised flesh across my chest. "and I have been injured for worse in the past twelve months." |
Taking a brief moment to stretch and test the fresh limitations of my injury I found myself scowling at the thought of once again returning to light duties for a few hours. My training both on horse and dismounted was proceeding at a rapid pace and I spent most of the daylight hours with sword in hand, dressed in armo... |
I could see several of them training with the other Knights and Men-at-arms of the Order throughout the training fields. Men like Falid and Thedret who were outside of the Order were still highly respected and offered their own services, but the new Knights of the Nine were proving to be in good hands. whether they ha... |
Most of them anyway. Picking my way through the fenced off sparing yards I saw one of the few issues I had with the men and mer under my command. Caleb had followed us to the priory but only because we didn’t provide him with any options, even if there had been any to give. From the few tests and trials we had underta... |
Part of my trepidation was from the fact that despite the smattering of knowledge had gained during his time as the late Baron Tussrienele’s personal stable hand he was not a trained fighter. With the likes of Alexi, Carodus and other highly experienced instructors he was proving to be a quick learner but for the mome... |
For the moment he was squaring off against one of the many straw filled training dummies with another of the surprisingly skilled Knights as his teacher for the day. Most of the Knights under my command with the exceptions of Falid with his greatsword and Thedret with his glaive were all swordsmen. A sword, especially... |
"God’s goolies, yer’ll end up breakin’ yer wrist like that." Mazoga spluttered as Caleb’s training mace thoccked into his training dummy. |
"But I hit it like you said? Starting above the shoulder and flicking it downwards..." |
"Yer did, but yer too stiff. The mace is meant to be the unyielding bit, not yer joints." She stepped forward with her own mace resting on her shoulder and her orichalcum shield fasted to her other arm like Caleb’s. The major difference between the two of them besides Mazoga’s enormity was the fact that the shield tha... |
It was not the relic though but merely made to assist in teaching him the idiosyncratic fighting style that the relics demanded. The shield especially as it was smaller enough to allow him to wield his weapons in one or two hands while still providing some measure of protection. Mazoga was close enough to the young st... |
"When yer swing, the head starts behind yer body right? Whether it starts at yer hip or over a shoulder or whatever it don’t matter, but when yer swing it; lead with yer elbow." She demonstrated slowly, dragging her own flanged mace down at such a speed that would have left anyone else shuddering with the effort of ke... |
The blow continued just as slowly and I watched, leaning against a fencepost as she rolled a wrist as thick as my forearm. Despite the slow nature of her demonstration, the head of her mace still moved quicker than the wrist and showed how dangerous it would be at full speed. |
Turning and looking at Caleb, her eyebrows lifted and the collection of braids on her scalp swirled with the movement. Since returning from Blackmarsh they had almost grown into a mass of dreadlocks but other than cutting them short enough for a helmet she ignored them. "What’s the other important bits?" |
"Be mindful of the recoil once you strike," Caleb replied simply. "and target anything breakable." |
"Now yer getting it!" Mazoga was practically beaming which seemed to accentuate the enormous jagged scar that ran from eyebrow to behind her ear; one of the several scars she had gained during our retrieval of the Shield. |
"Brutal and crude as always Orc." Called out another voice, and I tried not to sigh with recognition. "Perhaps next you’ll be able to teach him how to rifle though the trough for the best gristle." |
Like a stormcloud covering the sun, her expression darkened as she turned to regard the short Breton sitting on a crate scrubbing his sword with a set of chainmail too clean to be his own. Detane was stripped to the waist to deal with the heat and humidity of southern Cyrodiil and the layer of sweat seemed to make him... |
"Go crawl up yer own arse. Can’t yer see that we’re busy?" |
"Yeah. Busy wasting time. The kid’s never going to be a knight, especially with a pig teaching him how to smack people around." |
Mazoga growled and turned her back to him and I watched them all carefully for the moment, realising that Detane hadn’t yet realised I was there. He did nothing more than smile venomously but ducked his head back to cleaning his exquisite rapier, chuckling under his breath. |
"Just ignore him." There was no doubting the growl in Mazoga’s tone as she turned back to her young charge. "He’s just pissy at how good maces are for clubbin’ knights. Swords don’t cut plate, but a mace? Yer can break them into puddin’ under all their fancy armour. Like I taught yer yesterday; aim for the knees, the ... |
I continued watching, curious and finding it somewhat amusing that such a being like Mazoga was an extremely capable fighter in her own right. She seemed too large, too clumsy and slow to be a dangerous adversary in the presence of masters of the sword such as Alexi and Viconia. There were however a lot of dead Black ... |
"Of course, you will never be a true knight." Detane suddenly added without even raising his head as Mazoga went to show Caleb the effect of strength with technique on the dummy. "Not until you ride a horse at least." |
The words had the desired effect and halfway through the blow Mazoga lost a measure of her self-control and struck the dummy with full force instead of a controlled blow that she had intended. There was enough force in her underarm blow that the canvass bag passing for the dummy’s chest simply exploded into dust and b... |
"What the fuck is yer problem now, little man?" |
"My problem is that we should be teaching the lad how to fight as a knight. With dignity and chivalry and he won’t learn such things from a pig." |
"I’m a Knight." Mazoga snarled, Caleb and the training forgotten for the moment. "The Commander knighted me and everything." |
"You will never be a true Knight. Knights ride to battle. Knights have honour and grace and civility and aren’t beast-kin." |
"Who says I need to ride a damn horse? Ain’t no one getting me on a horse." |
Hovering behind her and trying not to get involved, Caleb moved to put himself in between Mazoga and Detane despite his own unease. "Why don’t you ride?" |
While she may have been angry at Detane and quick to rise to his bait, she was also just as quick calming down. "I... uh... don’t trust them." |
"You... Don’t trust horses?" Caleb asked hesitatingly over Detane’s snort of amusement. |
"I don’t sit on anything that has a mind of its own. Besides that, they are dangerous on one end, smelly on the other and cunning in the middle." |
"It astounds me that you don’t get along with them famously then." |
Mazoga’s temper finally reached a breaking point and she surged forward in a wall of green muscle and fury. To anyone else she would have been enough to chill the blood and freeze them on the spot but Detane merely stiffened, his hand dropping to the hilt of his rapier and the strange calm expression he wore during ba... |
"Sir Mazoga!" I roared, choosing to use her preferred honorific rather than the proper one of madame not only to gain her attention but because it was quicker to say. At the sound of my voice she stopped in mid step, and Detane suddenly tensed in annoyance. |
"I... But he..." |
"Whether he deserves the thrashing that you are fully capable of providing is unfortunately not up to you to decide." I stopped in place as I looked between the three of them and tried not to take note of the dozens of expectant and curious eyes from the surroundings. "I will not tolerate fighting, no matter how deser... |
"Master Acqunax," turning my head to the smug looking Breton still seated on his crate, I frowned at him so hard that I felt the vampire rising to the surface. "While you may not be directly under my command or a member of the Order of the Nine, this is my place and you will abide by my rules. You proved your worth in... |
The sneer remained but there was the hint of a nod before I turned back to Mazoga. "Of all the Knights under my command you are the only one who is not a member of the cavalry and this does cause a slight problem. While the title is mostly honorary and despite the fact that it galls me to say it, Master Acqunax is som... |
Mazoga looked crestfallen while I could see Detane’s expression of astonishment crack his façade of self-assured confidence for the merest of seconds. |
"However." I continued, briefly catching Caleb’s curious expression as I looked between them. "Sir Vanevius has shown me that every knightly Order always has at least one knight who fights dismounted. I was planning on revealing this at a later time, but I have commissioned a new standard for the Order of the Nine. Tr... |
Words failed her and she stood stupefied, mouth falling open and even Caleb was left grinning at her reaction. Detane however once again returned to his typical scowling self, practically snarling with pursed lips as he rammed his blade back into its scabbard and rose to his feet. |
Patting the giant orc on the shoulder and giving her a smile I saw how several of the onlookers were also smiling and nodding in agreement while she struggled to process what had just happened. I had been intending on making the formal announcement once the standard had been completed and delivered from Skingrad but i... |
My attentions however were set on a different individual and after sharing a few brief words to Mazoga and leaving her and Caleb to continue their training I quickly hurried after Detane as he stormed off through the tents. Despite his size and stature, he moved like a storm and people shifted out of his way from a co... |
"Master Acquanx!" I called out after him as we moved deeper through the collection of tents. "A word?" |
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