The Slave Knight Part 1: The Dagon

Chapter Eighteen: Breaking Their Fast

The cabal of slave knights that decided to orchestrate their escape waited. And wait they would. For quite a long time, mind you. They could do nothing, but wait. The waiting was weighty in their minds and their hearts, but they had no power to do anything more. Save wait. Sir Jessup was the main player in all and he did just as much waiting, but more in the guise of mediating. It was a week before he moved from his place of meditating and had pursued other avenues of work through the plan.

Unbeknownst to all that had driven him to action, that period of meditation was necessary. It was not just a period of rest and rejuvenation of his mind, but a period of learning, of probing, of getting to know all that was and would be with the high elves. He learned much and more about the high elves and all that they were. Their minds, thankfully, were not so dissimilar from human's as he, Sir Jared, and Anthony had initially hoped. Neurons and synapses flared in the same manner. The same triggers existed for hormonal transmitters and receptors. The same telepathic structures existed in the brain as did most all humans and other beings that Sir Jessup had known.

What was really promising, that Sir Jessup was able to devise, was that there was little to no protection magics within the minds of high elves. While they were generally more attuned to magics than most humans, or most beings for that matter, their protections were latent and inert in their very being. Hidden even and seemed to only be activated when the high elves would foster the magics or something traumatic would happen.

Like trying to force them telepathically to do something they would rather not, yuh know?

Shush Anthony, we will be, and are, the most careful for sure. Sir Jessup had become short with Anthony as of late, as it seemed that Anthony had taken up the role of putting Sir Jessup in check in most things. Anthony put things in perspective, albeit in a chiding and harsh manner. So much so that Sir Jessup could see the reality of his situation more clearly than ever. While Anthony helped, it hurt to hear the words in the way Anthony doled them out. Sir Jared had transitioned over into the more rational and driven being within him. Motivating him to do things he would not regularly do, but had the gumption to do so. Sir Jessup, as always, was the levity in the situation and the main decision maker in all. At least he believed he was the main decision maker, and that he was in full control of his own faculties. All that he did, felt very natural. Very organic. And it always seemed that he never had any issue in controlling himself.

At least I believe that I am in control.

Of course you are in control Jessup, what reason would we have to take control? We are perfectly content in your mind in our worlds of our own making. Sir Jessup knew not what Sir Jared meant by that, but could only take him at his word. He left that as it was and continued his work with the high elves. More probing. More meditating. More thinking.

Sir Jessup found that the high elves were very regimented and focused individuals. Order prevailed throughout Haertland and that was the very cornerstone of their society, at least within court. The kingsguard would train each morning for two hours straight. Like clockwork. Drills, running, swordplay and the like. Honing them into the finest warriors. King Eloiine would always join in as he knew he needed to fine tune his own abilities at any chance he could get, given the fact that war was not a foreign concept to him. Furthermore, it seemed that they were on the brink of war all the time.

After early morning training finished, the kingsguard and the King separated for sometime. The King to his high council meetings where he and five other high ranking, high elven nobles within his court, of his choosing of course, would make decisions on the ruling matters of court and kingdom. One of the matters, of course, was to see what to do with the slave knights. The kingsguard went about to their own daily duties of security throughout the court and surrounding Haertland. Servants and other of the high elven common folk bustled about, preparing meals, putting things in their proper place and order. Ensuring that the court was ready for King Eloiine at his midday call. Court was usually then held from midday to early evening, depending on the grievances that had to be addressed. Thereafter, King Eloiine would retire to his chambers for the signing of proclamations, the addressing of vital letters, and preparations for the next day.