Chapter Six: Shieldring Keep

Due to a lack of time, they decided to bypass Ander's house. Learning of Faith's fate was nowhere near as important as preventing a war between the young races and the Summer Fae. Agarth did tell her to mark it on her map for later once they resolved the current situation.

Barely half a day later, they finally reached the first part of their journey, and Faith had to admit, this was what she was expecting when seeing an outpost for the Warsworn.

"Shieldring Keep is the oldest Warsworn fortress still standing," Gwyn explained for her benefit as they approached the Citadel. "It was constructed from the remains of Forgefire Keep, which was constructed from remains of the ancient Varani War Temple of Hammer Rock."

Faith nodded, intrigued. "Interesting. So, the site has some history."

"Quite a bit. The head of our Order is a man called Tine Delfric. He is our Ancient of War and Castellan of the Keep."

"Castellan?"

"Castellan is essentially the caretaker and commander for a Keep," Agarth explained. "They're responsible for ensuring that the Keep has sufficient supplies for its upkeep, which has become increasingly difficult to do over the last decade."

"The Warsworn are mercenaries of a sort," Tilera added as they passed through the entrance. "However, they are organized into something more akin to military and possess a code of honor. They mostly protect the innocent from any who would dare to harm them. If they fail, they will refuse payment from the employers."

Faith turned to Tilera. "You seem to know quite a bit about the Warsworn," she noted.

"Well, the Warsworn have sent a pretty good-sized chunk of their forces to Mel Senshir since the war started." The Ljonsalfar smiled slightly. "It would be arrogant to say that the Alfar army could hold the Tuatha back on their own, but without the Warsworn at our side, we would have lost a decade ago. Not only that, they usually suffer the least number of casualties."

Faith nodded, impressed by what she was learning about this group. If someone of Tilera's experience could say that, the situation may not be as dire as she had initially thought.

"Gwyn Anwy?"

Gwyn quickly turned, saluting the one who had addressed her. "Oathblade Ost Ordura," she returned in greeting, falling into a more professional model. "Heading out to train a new class of Hirelings?"

"Aye, lass. I figured I'd come over and see why someone is walking into Shieldring Keep when she should be relaxing in Gorhart, especially after a run-in with the Tuatha."

While the two Warsworn talked, Faith took the opportunity to look the man over. He was tough and grizzled, with a mohawk on his otherwise shaved head. His armor was just as worn, though adequately maintained. The sword strapped to his side also clearly saw a lot of action, if the handle was of any indication. This was someone who had seen some action.

It took her a moment to fully recognize him. He was the same man that Gwyn had talked to in Gorhart. That would explain how he knew of the Tuatha.

"I would be if not for another situation in Gorhart." Gwyn took a breath. "The Red Legion has decided to try and destroy the House of Ballads. And they have access to an experimental poison that can kill near instantly."

"And to add further stress that we don't need, they attacked Gorhart to try and kill two young Fae," Agarth added. "So I think it's safe to say that relaxing won't be in the cards for the foreseeable future."

At that, Ost nodded, his eyes pinching in a way that would have seemed comical on any other face. "Well, I guess this proves that Warsworn aren't allowed to take breaks. Tine's in his office, so go give him your report. I'll be extra careful today, myself. We had reports of attacks around Warden's Bridge, and they might be connected somehow." He bade them all farewell before heading out.

None of them said anything, as they knew there was no connection. But, after informing Tilera about Faith's exact circumstances, the four of them decided to try and keep her Fateless status a secret for as long as possible.

Gwyn took point, guiding them through the Citadel. Faith took the time to examine their surroundings. And to say that she was mildly impressed would be a bit of an understatement.

The structure showed signs of wear and tear, though that was to be expected for facilities like this. It also looked like it was in a state of repair. There were a whole lot of pots situated everywhere, far more than were necessary. Small piles of stones were set up in what looked like random piles but still showed great care. She realized what they were; places to take cover if there was an attack. The pottery was there to serve as additional weaponry. The Warsworn sure didn't screw around with defense.

But one thing caught her attention, which lent credence to Gwyn's earlier explanation; the halls felt… empty. Only the slightest hint of life seemed to exist. It was an organization brought to the brink thanks to the war.

"Ah, Gwyn!" a voice called out, startling Faith from her analysis. Focusing back on the here and now, she realized they had reached their destination; Tine Delfric's office. She took a look around, taking in the numerous medals and commendations that sat on shelves near his desk.

As for the man, he certainly looked like someone who could hold his own despite his age. Face weathered by not only the elements but also battle, with gray hair and beard to match. He was the epitome of a grizzled veteran. And his gaze, sweeping over each of them with precision, lingered on hers for a second longer. He nodded slightly to her in respect. She returned it.

Gwyn bowed. "Ancient of War," she said in greeting, "I bring urgent news."

"Yes, so I've heard. The Tuatha managing to infiltrate this far into Dalentarth is most disturbing." Tine looked her over. "I am pleased to see that you survived." His gaze sharpened. "But you didn't come here to reiterate what I already knew."

"No, Sir. We now have another problem. It's the Red Legion. They are preparing to launch an attack on the House of Ballads. They also attacked Gorhart in an attempt to kill two young Summer Fae."

Tine's gaze darkened at this. The Red Legion had always been a nuisance, but the last decade had seen them become a regional threat. Something had to be done, but it would require an army to accomplish it. "Tell me everything," he ordered.

And so Gwyn did. She made sure not to leave a single event out. From the second they arrived in the village, to the assault by the Red Legion. Tilera and Agarth also added their accounts to ensure nothing was left out.

Faith didn't have anything to add, as she had spent her time in Gwyn's or Agarth's company. She stood there, feeling like she should have wandered the hallways a little longer.

The Castellan leaned back in his seat, frowning thoughtfully. "Well, we always knew this was coming," he noted. "The Red Legion hate the Fae, and we no longer have the strength to keep them contained. And destroying their ballads before they can truly begin does seem to be the best way to weaken them."

"It would throw them into chaos," Tilera agreed. "They practically live off of retelling their tales. And the ones pertaining to this Sir Sagrell are their most important ones."

"Which means we need to warn them fast," Faith added, speaking up.

"Indeed." The Ancient of War stood up. "You three will have to warn Hallum the White about this, as he is usually the one supervising their ballads. However, before you leave, I do need to talk to Gwyn for a moment. If you would excuse us…"

It was clear that he was dismissing them, and Faith didn't want to extend her stay any longer than necessary. She needed some food, not to mention wanting to purchase some supplies for the journey to come.

Tine waited until the other three had exited before focusing on the dokkalfar fully. "Your young friend… where is she from, Gwyn? She looks like she's from the Detyre Region, but I suspect she has never been there before in her life."

'She probably did, not that she remembers,' she thought. Outloud, she replied, "Honestly, I don't know where she's from. I found her in Gorhart, getting supplies when Agarth and I arrived." Again, she didn't want to say anything that could put Faith in the spotlight.

"I see. ...Gwyn, I don't know what you are trying to hide, but I do know when someone is lying to me. She was with you at the ruins, wasn't she?"

"… … Sir, I think that information… must stay hidden for now. The Tuatha are after her for particular reasons, and we should ensure no one else has the same idea."

Tine nodded. "Fair enough." He rose from his seat, walking around the desk. "In light of what we have learned, I have some new orders for you…"

Ω

Tilera looked around. "You know, considering how many of the Warsworn currently reside in Mel Senshir, I'm surprised that they were able to maintain this much staffing," she noted. "I counted at least a hundred bodies in this room alone."

"Tine Delfric always knew how to prioritize staffing," Agarth agreed. "He most likely equalized the staff among the three Keeps, having the older warriors take on administrative roles. Also, the Alfar Army knows better than to bleed them completely dry. More people will join the Warsworn these days before any actual military."

Faith looked up. "Why?"

"It's either that, or they join a bandit gang. Warsworn has the advantage of making them immune to the draft, not criminals."

"Ah." She found herself questioning most people's decision-making skills. Join the Warsworn, where you might be sent to the front, or be drafted, where you might be sent to the front?

Tilera grinned. "I can see the question in your eyes, and I have an answer for you; it comes down to choice. They choose to join the Warsworn or a bandit gang. They're forced to join the army. People want to feel like they can choose their path, even if it ends up with them going to the same place." She shrugged. "It's not logical, but logic doesn't always come in when making decisions."

"Ah."

"It could be worse." Agarth took a drink of water. "You could be a prisoner of the Ettin. They tend to torture or eat their prisoners."

"And that's an image I didn't need during lunch." Faith set her fork and knife down, a little sick to the stomach. If she ever needed a way not to eat so much food, she would just remember the mental image of… well, that.

She decided to look around to try and settle her stomach and winced. "I'm thinking they should have taken the draft," she said after a moment. "I think they're in trouble." She pointed to one corner. "She looks like she went several rounds with a bear."

Agarth turned to look and nodded. "More like several bears." He shook his head. "Poor girl."

"Sadly, I've seen worse. At least she's still alive and with her limbs intact. I've seen a lot worse."

"Good point."

Gwyn finally joined them as they were talking, sitting down and snagging a roll. "Well, my leave has been officially canceled," she declared. "And I have been reassigned."

"Not to the front, I hope," Agarth stated.

"Actually, no. I am to serve as a personal bodyguard for the lot of you." She pointed at Faith. "Specifically you."

Faith blinked. She hadn't expected that. "Uh… why?"

"Because he knows about the Tuatha attack on Allestar Tower… and of the subsequent attack on me at the ruins. He realized that the only factor in both attacks was you."

"Because, of course, he would." The Fate Weaver groaned in exasperation. "I forgot that you had someone deliver the report." He frowned. "He doesn't know…?"

"Faith's exact circumstances? No. I hopefully managed to dissuade him from investigating that. But I wouldn't be surprised if he or one of the other Castellans debrief me on what you can do exactly in the future."

Tilera let out a laugh at that. "That sounds like Tine," she stated. "He likes history, and he likes putting puzzles together. I guess you're one such puzzle, Faith."

Faith shrugged. "I'm a puzzle, even to myself. If he can learn anything about me, I'd appreciate it." She looked at the Ljonsalfar. "How do you know him?"

The elf leaned back, eyes dimming as she looked back into the past. "He was in his second year as a member of the Warsworn," she revealed. "I was a Corporeal of the Alfar Army at the time. Our paths crossed in the Ettinmere Region when we discovered that we were after the same target, a kobold tribe that had been killing travelers around the region. " She sighed. "They managed to catch my unit by surprise. As you no doubt have guessed, I was the only survivor, having been knocked out early in the fight, and had rolled into a ditch. When I awoke, all that was left were the bodies. They had taken everything, save for the clothes on their backs. I immediately went in pursuit as they had been particularly messy in their escape. There was a trail of blood that I could follow, and it led to a cave on the outskirts. It was there that I met Tine."

"He probably deduced that through eyewitness accounts," Gwyn noted.

"He did. And he figured out why I was there and offered his assistance. They had caught me by surprise, so we returned the favor. None survived, and we retrieved quite a bit of gold from their lair. Thankfully, the Kobold had only just started their reign of terror, so we were able to take their ill-gotten gains to Cannorac, which they were able to distribute to the families." She smiled. "We plenty of time to talk during the trip, especially when we were hiding from Ettin."

"And the friendship stuck."

"The friendship stuck. He was one of the few who didn't turn me away after Mel Senshir. He even offered me a position among the Warsworn… but I couldn't. If I had…"

"A large number of the Warsworn we had left would have left in protest," Gwyn finished. "And given how tenuous the balance of power is right now, that would have the death knell for us."

Still, it did show the type of character Tine Delfric had, if he was willing to help Tilera after all she had endured. Faith found herself liking the man even more. "Well, hopefully when the time comes, he'll be able to stand next to you." She paused as another thought came to her. "In the meantime, we're going need to get more money. I'm almost out. Gwyn, is there a bounty board of some sort here?"

Gwyn nodded. "Indeed there is, and it's always full of contracts for little things that the Hirelings or some of the more scrupulous bounty hunters take care of."

Agarth grinned. "Ah, the random quest," he reminisced fondly, "the bread and butter of the adventurer. I've done quite a few of those in my day."

"More like to pay your bar tabs," Tilera poked teasingly.

"Actually, I was young and broke at the time. It was so I could eat more than once a day. Training to be a warrior of renown usually requires one to survive to that point."

Faith chuckled. "Well, after we eat, let's kip over to the board. Hopefully, we'll find something that won't be too dangerous and won't take too much time."

In the end, they opted for a contract to locate a book. It was relatively close to the Keep, and while it didn't pay a whole lot, it promised to be an easy assignment.

It wasn't, but as it turned out, it did bear unexpected fruit for them and the Warsworn.

A small kobold bandit camp was situated within the cave they had been using as a base, setting up small surprise attacks and traps throughout the cavern. It proved that they were just as paranoid as they were ruthless. They were hoarders, never really spending their ill-gotten gains. They did it more for the thrill than anything.

It didn't matter in the end. The four were able to mow through all opposition. The only thing that slowed them down was the sheer number of traps in their way. It was utterly ridiculous.

But finally, the Kobold gang ran for the hills, realizing they weren't going to win this round. And in their haste, they didn't even try to take any of their booty with them.

Tilera whistled as she took in the sheer amount of gold the bandits had accrued. "All of this would be enough for three years," she noted. "If the travelers had survived, we could have tried to get this back to them."

Faith nodded, rummaging through the piles. "Here we are," she grunted, finally pulling several books out and perusing the titles. "Here's the one we're looking for. Let's grab one of these wagons and take all of this back to Shieldring Keep. The Warsworn can put it to good use."

"Definitely."

Tine had to admit that young Faith seemed to have good luck, considering that she was only supposed to be looking for a book.

Instead, she had not only brought the book back, but she also brought a whole freaking wagon full of gold and other goods. With all of this, they could maintain their Keep for at least another decade.

"Here is the book the guy was looking for," Faith informed the broadcaster. "I'm sure he'll be happy to get it back."

"He definitely will." The board holder grinned, giving her a small money pouch. "Well, here is your payment. And I'm sure that you'll be allowed to fill your purses with some of the spoils."

Tine grinned. "I think Gwyn and Tilera are doing just that right now."

Faith returned the grin. "Well, at least we'll be set for a bit." She hesitated for a moment. "Sir, thank you for essentially loaning one of your people to us."

"Hmm? Oh, Gwyn. It's the least I can do." He nodded. "I'll be honest; I have no idea why the Tuatha want you, and I honestly doubt that you need the protection. But, my instincts tell me that you may prove beneficial to Amalur in the future. I don't know why, of course."

She shook the Castellan's hand. "Well, it has been an honor to meet you, Sir."

"And you as well, Madam," Tine replied. "And if you're ever in the area, feel free to drop in. We're always looking for new recruits."

"I'll think about it." She turned as Tilera and Gwyn joined them. "So, are we good to go?" she asked.

"We are… but I haven't seen Agarth. I hope he hasn't decided to grab a drink before we leave," Tilera grumbled.

Gwyn shrugged. "Considering everything, I wouldn't be surprised. Oh, Faith. I found something you might like." She tossed her something small, which Faith caught. Confused, she looked at it.

It was a ring, and a well-crafted one at that. It was shaped like a dragon, forever circling itself, with tiny diamonds for eyes. "Huh… I'll admit, that's interesting." She slid it on, noting that it fit her finger perfectly. It looked like it belonged there. "Just so you know, Gwyn, I think we should have had dinner first before you proposed. I believe that's the way of things." Oh, the look on Gwyn's face was priceless! A look of pure, unadulterated shock and embarrassment shouldn't be possible for an Alfar, but there you have it.

Agarth finally joined them, taking in the scene. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

"No, you didn't! Let's go! The fate of Gorhart is in the balance!" Gwyn stated quickly, making for the exit. Faith and Tilera followed her, the later shaking her head in amusement.

Agarth looked at Tine, who shrugged gamely. "Faith seems to like teasing Gwyn," was all he said in explanation, grinning.

"Right…" Agarth decided to ask Faith later, though he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Ω

This is just a brief interlude.