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Date Posted: 07:15:03 12/17/99 Fri
Author: Lord Justin
Subject: Lord Justin & Helric

Papa Mel, this was supposed to be YOUR job, but I'll try and help out with Mr. Justin Case this time :) There is still something to add here that I am not sure about, Anyone is free to chip in if you have any good ideas.

*********
Lord Just rushed inwards the castle in search of the queen. "Where is her majesty?" He rasped roughly at a young maid that met
him in the hallway.
Girl, obviously shaken by something else then just the threatening appearance of his, looked at him replying with a trembling voice.
"I know not for certain sire. I hear she was last seen going towards the kitchen".
Without a word, Just pushed the maid away and hurried forward.
Just before entering the great hall screams had echoed from the castle courtyard. He walked to the window and looked
out to see a horse gallop in, carrying a messenger apparently excited about something.

"Move along," he yelled, "I have cruical news for the king and queen.", dismounting and without looking back running
ahead towards the castle.
Guards made room for the messenger just barely in time to dodge his charge through the door.
"What news of such importance could these be?" Justin thought to himself, recognizing the messenger was wearing
ensignia of castle Tampion.
Putting his search for queen aside for the moment, he walked to meet the messenger.
Main hall door downstairs busted open as the boy, breathing heavily entered.
"The king, where is the king?" He blurbed as he saw Justin descend on the stairs.

Justin gave him a dismissing glance.
"The king is dead messenger. Killed by a traitor to the state that had already received his much deserved
punishment. What news of such urgence do you bring that you could not even stop to take a breath before rushing
in here? If it is a matter of the state, you should belay the information to me Lord Justin Case now."

Boy shaken and confused by the revelation of king's dead took a few moments to regain his compulsion.
"Sire... my condolenscess to her majesty the Queeen..." he muttered.

"Yes yes, I will pass her your words, now bring out the news, and quickly boy, I have little time to waste."
Justin replied impatiently.

"I was sent from the castle of Earl Tampion sire... ", he lost his breath again.

"I can see your ensignia messenger. Now get on with it, what about the Earl?" Sir Case noted, with ever growing impatience.

"I... we... ", his breathing slowing down towards normal the boy spoke. "Baron Ringulare came to the castle just days
ago, with fourty men all wounded. Sire... The Tankan hordes are not just on the march again. The Eastern kingdom
has already fallen to them..."

Words stung Justin like a pointed stick. His thoughts of the throne affairs suddenly faded into matters of
lesser importance.
"Tankan has attacked the Eastern Kingdom you say?"

"Not only that Sire. Their forces are already amassing at the borders of this state. We have sent scouts to the border
immiediately when Baron had arrived, and what news they brought back are but ones that bring dismay and
despair among everyone... there is thousands of the Tankan... siege weapons at ready... all just awaiting
a command to advance. For all we know they might have already started the advance by now..."

Justin's look grimmed upon hearing the news.

"Sire, Baron seeks help from the king's army. Our castle is first in the line of Tankan's advance and we garrison but a
few hundred men.", boy messenger pleaded.

Walking in thoughts for few moments around, Justin looked back at the boy.
"Tell the Baron that we are in no position to help. The castle forces are scarce as it is, and we shall need
every man to stand up to this threat right here. Even if reinforcements reached his castle in time, the fortifications
there are nowhere near strong enough to use it as the key defence post of the state."
"Sire?"

"My advice to the Baron is to withdraw most of his forces back to here immediately, anyone will be welcome to help defend
Canaday. But there is nothing we can do for his castle and land at this point.", Justing proceeed grim faced still.

"But Sire can't you spare but a few men, and perhaps delay the advance of Tankan at least for awhile?"

"Boy, are you a military strategist or a messenger? You've heard my response, and my words were final.", Justin raised
his voice. "Now get out of here, I need to find a way to save this wretched state."

The messenger lowered his head, and left in a way quite opposite to the one he came in, taking steps one slower then
another.

Justin pondered the situation as one of the pages approached him from the other side of the staircase.
It was Helric, the castle page for years, but also perhaps the only castle servant that Lord Justin trusted fully.
"Sire, forgive my intrusion...", he began.

"Oh it's you Helric, what gives?" Justin replied.

"The she dragon beast sire. The one that was said to be trapped in queen's chambers... she... dissapeared. Without a trace."
"What do you mean dissapeared? She had nowhere to go!"

"We know not sire, but some girl maid entered the chambers without knowing the orders to avoid them, and all she found was a big mess and an
empty room." Helric said.

Justin turned away, his muscles tensing in anger for a few seconds. Without turning he talked back.
"Just as well, we have matters of much more importance then to deal with an enraged dragon sorceress... Helric, I need you to do
something for me."

"Anything sire," the page replied.

Justin looked at him again, saying "You are to take a message to the border where Tankan hordes are amassing."
"Tankan are at our borders Sire?"

"Yes, and apparently they are inclined to attack, finding us completely unprepared at this time.", Justin sighed.
"Anyway, you are to relay the following : that I, Lord Justin am giving them the castle Tampion as a sign of good will, and hope
that we can reach an understanding as peacefully as possible..."

Helric nodded, but uneasily. "You believe that will stop them Sire?"

Justin looked out the window and replied distantly. "No... it won't. But it should buy us some time, and perhaps give a chance to organize
some special defenses I am thinking about, which are probably our only chance to survive this as well... Besides...", another sigh,
"Earl of Tampion is a king's sympathizer, and I am sure he would be bound to cause us more trouble in the future... Tankan or no
Tankan. So let's have our barbaric friends take care of this little detail for us, while we buy ourselves some time..."

Helric bowed in admiration, "As always you show your ingenuity when we need it the most Sire. I shall be on my way with the message
immediately."

"And Helric," Justin stopped the page as he was exiting the building.
"Yes sire?"

"Do not forget to wear the appropriate cloth signs to let our tankan "friends" out there know that you are a messenger from me."
With that said, Justin left Helric to go about his task, while he proceeded upstairs again to the great hall where the knights
of the Six and elite guard was awaiting to slay a she dragon that had apparently dissapeared.

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