by Svalbard

Created on: January 02, 2010   Last Updated: June 19, 2010

A golden beauty lay across the rolling, tree lined hills of Halshire. Autumn had arrived and was gently readying the land for the onslaught of winter. From the battlements of Halshire Castle, Sir Herluin del Brackshel looked down at a picture of bucolic serenity. Cultivated pastures stretched into the distance to meet the wooded hills. Farmers dotted the landscape working their patches of land, bringing in the harvest that would see them through the darks days of winter. Herluin sighed. That is if the peasants would be allowed to keep their bounty. Armies were on the march, companies of men would need to be fed. Even now as he contemplated the scenery, Herluin knew that his men were preparing to ride out and take as much of that harvest as was possible. Dolfin had commanded him to secure Halshire and protect the Queen and her sons against a possible siege. Word had reached the court that King Caric of Kalnordia had landed at Cebran in the north with a large army.

The sound of hooves clashing against the cobbles of the courtyard below alerted him to the departure of the foraging party. He leaned over the parapet to watch the company canter out from the gates below. Dolfin was gone north to meet his brother, gathering men as he went. He had promised Herluin that he would send reinforcements back to Halshire, presumably one of the Hoyt barons. Although a royal demense Halshire lay within the fiefdom of the Hoyt family. Herluin had his doubts about holding up here in Halshire. They should have remained in Nanter at the royal palace and if needs be they could then have retreated to the Crelak. But Dolfin would not be gainsaid. Maybe he doubted the loyalty of the Conerax division in Nanter? What was certain, though, was that Dolfin had now abandoned Nanter and was seeking a battle with Caric to end the quarrel once for all.

Herluin let out another sigh. He was too old for fighting. He had done enough of it in the early days of King Ranald's reign. By the gods! What men he had fought with and against back then. It was Cebran too where Ranald had landed to wrest the crown from the Usurper's head. A slight shiver went down Herliun's spine at that thought. Then he muttered a curse. History always repeated itself, but this time Dolfin was the lawful King and Caric the usurper. What was it with the Gulnarsons that they were so hellbent on destroying each other? For every feckless ruler in the family a Ranald was thrown out to rally the dynasty and stabilise the kingdom.

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