Completed In the depths of a mine...

[Deleted member 2578]

He nodded hugging her. "Thank you. I felt deep anguish that I Had to send your sister away." Nosdyn explained calmly.

"I didn't want to ever loose her. But it was better that she passed naturally. I'm glad she's at peace and watching from where she rests now, approving of us now. We have a lot of time to get to know one another. I am sure my wife, Anya would also approve..."

At that point a messenger scout ran into the bedroom where Xella and Nosdyn wee occuped.

"My lords, the raven lords report that a huge force is attacking the castle. You're not going to like this Nosdyn, the marks are those of the Duchy."

"NO!" Nosdyn swore. "Xella come with me." He said to Xella and extended his hand to the mayor. "I have to go defend our home."

Nosdyn said, she took his hand and they shadow stepped towards the castle.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

By the time they returned, since shadowstepping did take time, the forces had been repelled. And standing at the gate facing outward, his Maximilian zweihander coated in blood, was Eberwolf, beside him Anya. Conrad was being held by Kria back in their chambers. Eberwolf evidently defended the castle with his own forces helping him. The forces that attacked the castle weren’t under his command.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

The feeling Skotadi had provided was accurate...it would merit investigation later on.

A force had attacked his people. He noticed Eberwolf and Anya had fought together. There were casualties some who were Vampires, were already burning into ash.

"Where is Velera?" He suddenly asked of Anya and Eberwolf...he wanted to hear it from them. "Who has done this thing to us?"

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“Our father took her. He’s the one who attacked the castle.” Anya explained.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

"Your Father has challenged me has he not?" He asked of Anya he looked at Eberwolf. "You're a good man...I sincerely wish things had been different between our people."

"Explain to me how this duel would work in your people's way. What must be done to accept his challenge?" Nosdyn was not a coward...he would not run.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

"Explain to me how this duel would work in your people's way. What must be done to accept his challenge?"

“This is not a duel between you and him. He has disregarded my honor beforehand and now he spits on it.” Eberwolf said angrily. “This is a war between me and him. You see to your people Nosdyn, it is high time I claim the seat of Duke from my father.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

"Listen, he has one of my inner circle. Please bring her back. Her name is Velera. I will repay you for this if you can save her." He nodded to Eberwolf and shook the man's hand with a bow.

"Godspeed Eberwolf. You're a kind soul." Nosdyn gave the lad his blessings. A moment later he was walking through the castle trying to assess how many had fallen.

"So many dead..." Xella had been with him the whole time.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“I’ll get her back to you.” He said before leaving.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn was crying for his people that had been slain. He looked at Xella. "I'm sorry you had to see the castle like this." Nosdyn explained he was mourning for his dead.

"I want to introduce you to my wife." He guided Xella with him over towards Anya's position. "Anya this is Mayor Xella she has joined our ranks."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Nosdyn was crying for his people that had been slain. He looked at Xella. "I'm sorry you had to see the castle like this." Nosdyn explained he was mourning for his dead.

"I want to introduce you to my wife." He guided Xella with him over towards Anya's position. "Anya this is Mayor Xella she has joined our ranks."

“Welcome to the growing family Xella. How many concubines do you need Nos?” She asked with crossed arms and a cocked eyebrow coupled with a grin.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nos listened to her question for and waited a moment.

"She is Lady Ellsa's sister." Nosdyn explained. "The situation demanded I acted with a strong morale backbone when it came to Lady Ellsa. I was tempted to turn her...I did not." Nosdyn was showing he had a tremendous amount of restrained. He looked at Anya and Mayor Xella. "Anya I am going to show her to her bedroom. We all need some rest." He said smoothly.

He looked at Mayor Xella. "While here you will have personal quarters. The collar does look good on you Xella." He smiled allowing himself a smile him and Xella had things to do.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Anya nudged Xella, Andy with a grin said, “by that he means ‘women look good in collars’, and he means it. Be prepared for unorthodox activities if he ever takes you to his bed. Which he will.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn proceeded to guide Xella towards her bed chambers after an iron collar was fitted on her...yes Nosdyn was into...things.

He walked into the master bed room and saw down on the bed with her. It was a few nights later.

Nosdyn was worried for Velera, but he knew he had to be strong for them all. He had to trust that Eberwolf would bring Velera back home safely.

He looked at Xella calmly on the bed. "You know how I feel about you." He smiled softly. "Take off your clothing." He orders softly...and like that it went for the whole night until they received word from the Duchy whenever it would arrive.

Whenever Velera would be brought home.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

It would be a number of months. As wars typically lasted a long time. But this war lasted a short time, and Eberwolf returned in person to deliver Velera home. She hadn’t changed much, only slightly underfed, but alright. The steel collar still hugged her neck. And she was delighted to be returned to Nosdyn.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Seeing that Eberwolf kept his word and brought Velera home one day, that affected Nosdyn profoundly.

Here you had a fucking Vampire Slayer helping his sworn enemy out.

He rushed to Velera's side and hugged her immediately. He was thrilled to see his companion returned home. He looked at Eberwolf and bowed towards the knight.

"Knight Eberwolf. I wish discuss a matter with you in private." Nosdyn said to the man. He wanted to thank him personally. For bringing Velera back home.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

"Knight Eberwolf. I wish discuss a matter with you in private."

He chuckled, “it’s Duke now. And sure.”

He came with him and his sister. “What is this matter you wish to discuss?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He looked at the Duke. "Before we begin...I want you to understand how much I have come to respect you. In the beginning I was asking Anya about potentially joining your Duchy as a student of your military tactics." Nosdyn chuckled at the thought. Would that make him a Vampire Vampire Slayer at that point? The thought was a little amusing.

He looked at Anya and the Duke. "I have a proposition that will benefit both of our great houses." Nosdyn said calmly. They were in his personal office discussing the matters at hand.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“That you join our Duchy? A good and magnanimous proposition, but I don’t think it would work thanks to the distance between us. A military and trade alliance is likely to be more fruitful. Don’t misunderstand me Lord Nosdyn, you are my brother in law, and you are family to me, which automatically makes us allies, but a merger is simply not possible because of the land between your territory and mine.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn shook his head calmly. "No my friend. I am offering we join forces." Nosdyn said calmly. "Because of our unique situation an allegiance would benefit both our great houses." The military tactician mind was in display again. He always saw the bigger picture...always.

"Our great houses both have resources. Your land has criminals that need to be dealt with do you not? Lady Anya's own suggestions was we use many criminals as a safe way to feed our conscripts and those who join my forces." He said it plain as day. "I know I can't join your Duchy myself so I am offering you one better. We combine our resources and become mutual allies." Nosdyn raised his eyebrow and looked at the Duke and Anya at that point. "What do you think of this Duke?" Nosdyn grinned slyly.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“That sounds quite beneficial for all here.” He extended a hand for him to shake. “We will send you our criminals, save the ones we’ve put in the Pit, they stay there.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He shook the Duke's hand. "Also...we have many skilled workers should need to bolster your own forces." Nosdyn explained not all of his forces were vampires. But yes, he shook the man's hand. He liked Anya's Brother had life been more kind they would have been great freinds.

"I understand. If you need resources and materials for your Duchy you ask me first Duke. I think a great and beneficial allegiance will be forged after today." Nosdyn smiled.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“Agreed. I’ll make sure to provide mutual assistance. And I’ll set up a beacon system for help.” He said. “But I need to return and reestablish public order. I must say farewell.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nodyn nodded towards the knight with a grin. "Until we meet again." He said in exchange and he looked at Anya at that point.

"He brought Velera home himself. Your brother has Honour." Nosdyn said calmly. He was deep in thought, he knew he needed to devise a contingency plan against other clans of Slayers. He looked at Anya, he knew she could her his thoughts. "I am thinking...we have to evolve our strategies somehow."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

“Probably, but let’s go make Velera feel at home first.” She said going out to take velera to the bedroom, where for just that once, Velera was the second in command. Still bound, but not the bottom rung.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

But something else happened that particular session.

While they were in their bed. Nosdyn, thrilled to see Velera again just as when she'd first returned home because of Eberwolf, he hugged his woman close and started to cry.

"I was going to try to save you myself. Thank gods he stopped me." He held his Velera and Anya close to him. He was once again, ready to sacrifice himself for what he believed in. At his core, Nosdyn was a good man and maybe that would become his greatest strength.