The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter 40: Alina Morione

The crackling of the fire bounced back and forth between the warm stone walls. It was a familiar place for her, alone with her thoughts. It was in the darkness that she won her battles, murdered her enemies, and took what she desired. Her planning was too thorough to be defeated. Alina's mind never quit running with ideas of taking all of Miriela for herself.

"Queen Morione." A bannerman bowed as he approached the small study, which Alina sat in. It was a study hidden away in the Keep of Oaksguard. A room used by Lord Gessel to hide from his responsibilities to Oaksguard. "Algar Kraus and the Seafares have arrived," The bannerman said.

The Queen was sitting with her back towards him and wearing her usual red dress. "Very well. Escort the captain to my Keep. There is no time for introductions or celebrations. The days to come are days of war. And it is time for battle," Queen Morione said.

"As you wish, my Queen." The bannerman left with a bow. And quickly marched towards the docks, which were East of the Keep. A channel ran from the Midsea, into the center of Oaksguard, where trade ships and fisherman would dock. It was there that Alina had instructed the bannermen to have Algar keep as much of his fleet as possible.

Alina was buried again in her documents, writing, and lost again in her thoughts. But it was not long before the sounds of interruption slowly returned. Heavy steps, slowly pounded into the ground. The rattle of chainmail rang in her ears, and a deep laugh echoed through the halls of the Keep. Alina put down her quill and stood.

She felt more nervous about meeting these Northern men then she would have liked to admit. She couldn't tell if it was intimidation, for the Seafares were a murderous bunch, or if it was fear for the wars which were soon to come.

"My Queen, I present to you, Captain of the Seafares, Ruler of the Midsea, Algar Craus." The bannerman spoke slowly, being careful to pronounce the Captain's name as correctly as he could muster.

Into the study walked a man. He was tall, much larger than any other man Alina had seen before. His shoulders were as broad as a horse, and his arms were as strong as a bear. His eyes were bright blue and his long hair was as white as ice. His face was worn but young. A large scar stretched from his mouth all across his right cheek.

The right side of his face hung low, unable to move it when he spoke. Saliva dripped from the immobile side of his mouth, and flapped when he moved his head, like a dog waiting to be fed. The muscles in the right side of his face were weak, so much so, they could not hold his face sturdy.

His right eye wondered, always slow to focus in on what the left eye was examining. His long hair was hidden under a black hat, with a brim sat just above his eyes. He was dressed in chainmail which covered his chest, and black leather which covered the rest of his body. A sword was swung around his hip.

Algar Craus, looked up, pulled the black brim from his eyes and slowly lifted his head. But he remained silent. He stood, staring at Alina, examining her slowly. He took in a couple deep breathes, and Algar Craus' deep voice bellowed out before all in the Keep.

"Word reached my fleet, some time ago, that a peasant woman in Oaksguard wished to hire the Seafares to assist her in taking rule of Miriela. Normally, I would have had such a messenger, slit at the throat and buried in the Midsea. But when the messenger explained that this peasant had mentioned to kill half the Royal Vanguard, and claim herself Queen of Oaksguard, I figured it was worth my while. And it seems that the message boy was correct. The peasant woman, now sits in a Keep, gowned in a beautiful red dress." The captain continued to walk slowly towards Alina, looking around the keep as he spoke. "But I am a Captain who is loyal only to my men. I serve no one, most certainly not the Peasant Queen of Oaksguard. My men desire gold and gold alone. That is all that is worth fighting for. From what I hear, Ferenor opposes you in the West, and Esternlund in the East. And you ask for the Seafares to sail the Midsea with Oaksguard flags hanging from our masts? There better be a hell of a lot of gold in this Keep, my Queen." Algar Craus stood, now with in an arm's length of Alina, towering over her.