WAR, BLOOD AND DRAGONS

Chapter 4: Barvis Bent

Dreadful thoughts besieged her mind, the weight forcing her to take rest back at the mouth of the steps, the humiliation and fear of her imminent execution played it's usual tricks, just like in the dungeons where it was pitch black unlike the steps that glowed with a dim luminousity, the darkness would wisper and give visions of hell; there was a woman with hair black as night stretching past her shoulders, she looked just like Leah with her rough brown tunic and it's threads hanging from the hems, a maid with agony in her eyes, despondent and fallen like a knight who'd just lost in a melee, she stood alone in a crowd that cheered and danced whilst the king stood in Stern dragonscale amour, his broad sword dripping with blood and on the floor was where she laid, Leah, bastard of house Dragonsbane, her body here and her head over there, the crows were circling above waiting to feast and then there was a cackling noise, demons with fiery eyes and breath that stank like those dead rats in her cell, beings of Shadow that eclipsed everything, and fed on her soul, every scream lost to the darkness and every struggle led to a nightmare as she was dragged through a field of skulls and bones by hounds twice the size of bears.

"Leah?" An elderly voice shattered the walls of her crushing reverie, it was the old Chief scholar Lord Barvis Bent and in that very slight moment he felt an odd sensation woosh past, like soft wind slapping against his being that it even causing the flames behind him to dance.

"Mi-lord" she beamed at him, clueless as to the occurence.

"Allow me" She offered, helping him with the two hefty books he carried along, the dismay earlier pasted on her face had shifted to his like a flu because this sudden occurence meant her powers had began manifesting and if so then it attracts a cruel fate for the girl he'd grown quite fond of like he would a daughter.

"You look tired" She gleamed back at him with concern as he trudged behind on their way to the nearby library.

"And you look pale" He replied.

"More pale than usual?" She asked

"Indeed, pale and troubled, you should consider visiting the outdoors more often and perhaps share what is weighing on your mind" he suggested in his usual weighted voice

"It's these cold, drafty halls, they're killing me" She deflected

"You know you can always confide in me child" Bent accentuated as they got to the door of the library.

To Leah Bent was a teacher, a protector and a father figure, there wasn't anyone she trusted in the entire castle than him but he had no power to avert her fate, sharing the darkness she carried would only fracture his fragile shoulders and so she grew to wear a mask with him as well.

Her lips curled into an innocent smile and she noded in acknowledgement before shoving the door open, she dumped the books on the old wooden desk at the southern end and gave a sigh of relief as her eyes flited across the musty old library stuffed with books and scrolls that hid scores of mold so great the smell permeates the air.

It brought back sweet memories of earlier times when Lord Bent taught her to read on that old but sturdy oak desk, his lessons about the great houses, the histories, how to navigate and treat wounds stayed fresh in her mind, he did seem taller then but now she was the tallest amongst them and age had taken it's toll on his gait as well, her eyes finally caught an empty space to house the books just on one of the shelves on the left whilst Bent took his seat behind the oak desk.

"An excruciating read" She remarked regarding their weightiness.

"Mm! The histories of the South, young master Greyson desired to learn a bit more about his future home"

"Did he find it as intriguing as I did?"

"Quite so, intriguing and somewhat terrifying, haha" Bent chuckled

"The belingerence of most southern houses invites a certain chaos in the region that many might have forgotten, king Greymon has had a long reign of great peace" He added

"Perhaps those who inspire fear make the most peaceful rulers, the king, Lady Hearst....Greyson seems to have his work cut out for him, living up to the legacy of the demon of the south" Leah opined, finding her way to one of the chairs across the desk.

"By no choice of his, it's the politics. After the death of Balon Hearst, Kane Rowlings; the Lord of the Ravenstower was made marquess of the south and princess Marilyn was to marry his first born son jasper, king Greymon even promised him five dragons once his confidence in the South was restored, the only issue was building a dragon keep....Enormous structures such as a 10 burrow dragon keep required great resources that house Rowlings couldn't afford and with the capital refusing his plea for aid, Lord Rowlings resulted to a more callous approach...."

"The nine day war" Leah interrupted, amazement plastered across her visage.

"I remember it well, a cattle rearer in a village under his March claimed Hearst men came, slaughtered and Stole his livestock, Lord Rowlings declared war and gathered his banner men, in retaliation Lady Hearst bought the services of 4 assassins from the brotherhood of shadows in Juno who infiltrated Rowling's camp and killed his only two sons, Kane succumbed briefly to heartbreak and his camp was divided"

"Consumed by grief and rage he amassed what was left and marched to Stoneworth only to be subjugated by an army twice his number" She concluded with a grin

"An army of foreigners.... Sellswords with no stake in it beyond gold" Bent added

"They were effective" Leah defended

"You seem a staunch supporter" Bent observed

"I just love it when evil men are paid their dues, Kane wanted a war with Stoneworth because Lady Hearst was 12 and still possessed a good portion of her family's wealth and the 25 burrow dragon keep in Stoneworth would compliment if he succeeded, as if he hadn't plundered enough Hearst gold in the aftermath of the battle of the golden gorge, the blood of his sons are on his head and I say this fully acknowledging how cruel and evil Lady Hearst herself can be" Leah stressed

"Interesting enough, most southerners don't share that sentiment nowadays, they seem to believe in her" Bent argued

"We mages don't have that luxury, she championed a cause her father fought bravely against, destroyed what little number we had as if we were vermin" Leah voiced bitterly.

"To avoid her father's fate no less and to gainer the King's favour....now she's marrying a Prince and having the mines reopened" Bent pointed out.

"Wolves of the same pack, the lot of them" Leah blurred out

"Well some may surprise you actually, bleak as the world may seem courage and compassion is yet not dead, one need only sought after them, Eurostan for example may be a good and safe place to start for a mage" Bent intimated and Leah was thrown into confusion for a moment.

"I can't leave, you know this" Leah reminded but Bent insisted

"If your powers began manifesting...."

"It hasn't, you did your tests on me and you confirmed it"

"Our test aren't fail proof, we are scholars not witch hunters

"The king says I may likely grow up a seer"

"You spoke to the king? That explains your countenance"

"He's grown impatient and now sees no purpose in my continued existence, I think maybe...."

"Don't think on it child, I've protected you thus far and will continue to do so as long as I have a seat at the King's court" Bent assured her and she smiled softly as his words gave succour.