Chapter 6: The gates of Oxenstoke
We had been riding for a few hours and were just approaching the gates of Oxenstoke. When we were stood in front of the large wooden gates Arazeize dismounted and knocked hard on them. A small window opened and the face of a young man appeared.
"Who are you and what is your business here?" His voice was deep and stern. I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him; his voice alone is enough to scare anyone.
"I am Arazeize son of King Elessar of Gondor. I am here to speak with the Lord of Oxenstoke."
"The Lord does not want visitor's thank you very much. There are too many more important things than visitors." "You must let us enter. The future of your lives depends on it" Arazeize pleaded. "I must speak with the Lord or evil will take over and it will be you who is to blame. Would you like that? No? Then let us pass through the gates to your Lord."
"I can not let you enter unless I know the full purpose for your coming here." "I've told you that the future depends on it." "That is a very vague answer. Tell me precisely what you mean to do here."
Arazeize sighed and turned to face us. "This is the part my father forgot to mention, how to get into the wretched town."
"I must hurry you for your answer or you must leave immediately."
"We are here to smash a gem filled with evil power to smithereens. Is that enough?"
"No I'm afraid I need more."
"This gem, if fallen into the wrong hands will allow evil to rule over us all. We are here to destroy the gem with the sword of Elladur, which I'm sure you are aware is hidden deep under this very city and only the Lord of this town can open the chamber in which it is kept."
Arazeize looked at the town guard. The guard sighed.
"Well I suppose that is enough information." He stood aside and reluctantly opened the gate. We rode slowly through the gates as not to alarm the inhabitants and dismounted once inside. "I'll have someone show you to the Lord and take your horses to the stables." He said before turning to a guy in a uniform.
"Please show these gentlemen to the Lord. They wish to speak to him about You-Know-What."
The man in the uniform turned to us and gestured us to follow him. We were lead to the Town Hall, a large stone building in the centre of the town.
Once inside the Town Hall we were asked to wait inside a small room off the side of the Lord's chamber before we could speak to the Lord himself who was currently in a meeting.
The man in the uniform appeared at the door five minutes later to show us to the Lord.
We had been riding for a few hours and were just approaching the gates of Oxenstoke. When we were stood in front of the large wooden gates Arazeize dismounted and knocked hard on them. A small window opened and the face of a young man appeared.
"Who are you and what is your business here?" His voice was deep and stern. I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him; his voice alone is enough to scare anyone.
"I am Arazeize son of King Elessar of Gondor. I am here to speak with the Lord of Oxenstoke."
"The Lord does not want visitor's thank you very much. There are too many more important things than visitors." "You must let us enter. The future of your lives depends on it" Arazeize pleaded. "I must speak with the Lord or evil will take over and it will be you who is to blame. Would you like that? No? Then let us pass through the gates to your Lord."
"I can not let you enter unless I know the full purpose for your coming here." "I've told you that the future depends on it." "That is a very vague answer. Tell me precisely what you mean to do here."
Arazeize sighed and turned to face us. "This is the part my father forgot to mention, how to get into the wretched town."
"I must hurry you for your answer or you must leave immediately."
"We are here to smash a gem filled with evil power to smithereens. Is that enough?"
"No I'm afraid I need more."
"This gem, if fallen into the wrong hands will allow evil to rule over us all. We are here to destroy the gem with the sword of Elladur, which I'm sure you are aware is hidden deep under this very city and only the Lord of this town can open the chamber in which it is kept."
Arazeize looked at the town guard. The guard sighed.
"Well I suppose that is enough information." He stood aside and reluctantly opened the gate. We rode slowly through the gates as not to alarm the inhabitants and dismounted once inside. "I'll have someone show you to the Lord and take your horses to the stables." He said before turning to a guy in a uniform.
"Please show these gentlemen to the Lord. They wish to speak to him about You-Know-What."
The man in the uniform turned to us and gestured us to follow him. We were lead to the Town Hall, a large stone building in the centre of the town.
Once inside the Town Hall we were asked to wait inside a small room off the side of the Lord's chamber before we could speak to the Lord himself who was currently in a meeting.
The man in the uniform appeared at the door five minutes later to show us to the Lord.