Fynn stood at the bough of the ship as it moored at the dock of Serpent's Hold. Ready to disembark the moment it landed. A look of urgency was on his face. He didn't like leaving his Britain at a time like this.
As he crossed the pier and walked towards the walled town, the familiar sounds of clashing swords and arrows hitting buttes grew stronger. A group of young footmen marched past. Fynn smiled and thought; "This place hasn't changed at all since I was here".
A man from across the square called out. "Barrett! Fynn Barrett!"
Fynn recognized the hoarse voice and turned on his heels. "Drill Sergeant Clegg!"
Clegg laughed. "That's Colonel Clegg to you Fynn."
Fynn's expression turned to a frown. "Colonel, Sergeant, Lieutenant... ranks won't matter much soon. If the Kingdom falls apart."
Clegg stopped laughing. "Come on Fynn, as long as the Kingdom has men like you and me all is not lost! Let's talk in my office."
The two men walked side by side through the long corridors of the fortress that was Serpent's Hold. Colonel Clegg's wooden leg clacked loudly on the stone slabs with each step . *Clack* *Step* *Clack* *Step* When he noticed Fynn looking at it he grinned: "I won it in the war..." Fynn knew better than to ask.
With a jovial gesture Clegg swung open the doors to his office but didn't let Fynn pass to enter first. He paced to his chair and grabbed the bottle from his desk. "A drink?" Clegg said while pouring two glasses. Clegg bowed his head and raised his glass. "To the Queen." Fynn took up his glass up as well. "May she rest in peace." The men drank in silence.
Clegg emptied his glass and turned to Fynn. "How is the situation in Britain now? Do you have it under control?"
Fynn looked up at Clegg. "For the moment, yes. But the people are afraid, unsure of what is going to happen now she...", Fynn swallowed hard, "now the Kingdom is without it's Queen. And there isn't anybody to take her place on the Throne."
Clegg nodded. "Lady Dawn was a champion of the people and a logical choice for the Throne. But there isn't anybody like that now."
Fynn looked away. "There are some voices calling for the end of the Kingdom... They want people-power, a democracy."
Clegg slammed his fist on the table. "Dissenters! Fools! Democracy is a sure recipe for disaster! It will result in nothing but red tape and endless bickering." Fynn shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Clegg continued "I tell you, when you let peasants run the Kingdom nothing good will come of it. What do they know of politics? Look at what happened in Vesper, their little republic has melted away, like snow in july!" Clegg laughed loudly at his own joke.
Fynn shrugged "I don't know much about politics but I do know the people need leadership. And it has to be somebody they know and trust." "It has to be somebody strong!" Clegg added.
Clegg paused to pour himself another glass. "In the meantime you, me and the other city leaders will have to do our best to keep the Kingdom together and to protect it."
Fynn nodded. "I agree."
Fynn reached over to put his empty glass on the table. "Before I go, there is one other matter I want to discuss." Clegg gestured Fynn to carry on. "The Queen, before her demise, ordered the area of Yew to be Quarantined, to contain the plague. And I believe your men are stationed at the roadblocks, preventing anybody from going in or out."
Clegg nodded curtly. "Those were the Queen's orders."
"I want you to withdraw those men." Fynn had a resolute expression on his face.
Clegg looked surprised. "Why?"
"As long as the quarantine is in effect we can't help the citizens of Yew. They are trapped... And I promised to help them!" Fynn exclaimed. "If we don't do something now there won't be anybody left."
Clegg had a worried look on his face. "You do realize that if the plague spread through the Kingdom now, when we are already so vulnerable, it would mean the end of all of us."
"With all due respect Sir," Fynn took a deep breath, "Virtuebane is invading our cities and has killed our Queen! If we can not overcome a plague... we are already doomed."
Clegg sighed. "Very well Fynn, I will withdraw my men. But I shall hold you responsible if this plague grows out of control."
Fynn looked relieved. "Thank you Clegg, on behalf of the Yewish people."
Colonel Clegg walked Fynn back to his ship. Just as Fynn was about to board Clegg called him. "Be strong Fynn, the Kingdom needs us now!"
Fynn turned around and saluted. "For Britannia!"
Source: Fynn's meeting with Colonel Clegg
As he crossed the pier and walked towards the walled town, the familiar sounds of clashing swords and arrows hitting buttes grew stronger. A group of young footmen marched past. Fynn smiled and thought; "This place hasn't changed at all since I was here".
A man from across the square called out. "Barrett! Fynn Barrett!"
Fynn recognized the hoarse voice and turned on his heels. "Drill Sergeant Clegg!"
Clegg laughed. "That's Colonel Clegg to you Fynn."
Fynn's expression turned to a frown. "Colonel, Sergeant, Lieutenant... ranks won't matter much soon. If the Kingdom falls apart."
Clegg stopped laughing. "Come on Fynn, as long as the Kingdom has men like you and me all is not lost! Let's talk in my office."
The two men walked side by side through the long corridors of the fortress that was Serpent's Hold. Colonel Clegg's wooden leg clacked loudly on the stone slabs with each step . *Clack* *Step* *Clack* *Step* When he noticed Fynn looking at it he grinned: "I won it in the war..." Fynn knew better than to ask.
Clegg emptied his glass and turned to Fynn. "How is the situation in Britain now? Do you have it under control?"
Fynn looked up at Clegg. "For the moment, yes. But the people are afraid, unsure of what is going to happen now she...", Fynn swallowed hard, "now the Kingdom is without it's Queen. And there isn't anybody to take her place on the Throne."
Clegg nodded. "Lady Dawn was a champion of the people and a logical choice for the Throne. But there isn't anybody like that now."
Fynn looked away. "There are some voices calling for the end of the Kingdom... They want people-power, a democracy."
Clegg slammed his fist on the table. "Dissenters! Fools! Democracy is a sure recipe for disaster! It will result in nothing but red tape and endless bickering." Fynn shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Clegg continued "I tell you, when you let peasants run the Kingdom nothing good will come of it. What do they know of politics? Look at what happened in Vesper, their little republic has melted away, like snow in july!" Clegg laughed loudly at his own joke.
Fynn shrugged "I don't know much about politics but I do know the people need leadership. And it has to be somebody they know and trust." "It has to be somebody strong!" Clegg added.
Clegg paused to pour himself another glass. "In the meantime you, me and the other city leaders will have to do our best to keep the Kingdom together and to protect it."
Fynn nodded. "I agree."
Fynn reached over to put his empty glass on the table. "Before I go, there is one other matter I want to discuss." Clegg gestured Fynn to carry on. "The Queen, before her demise, ordered the area of Yew to be Quarantined, to contain the plague. And I believe your men are stationed at the roadblocks, preventing anybody from going in or out."
Clegg nodded curtly. "Those were the Queen's orders."
"I want you to withdraw those men." Fynn had a resolute expression on his face.
Clegg looked surprised. "Why?"
"As long as the quarantine is in effect we can't help the citizens of Yew. They are trapped... And I promised to help them!" Fynn exclaimed. "If we don't do something now there won't be anybody left."
Clegg had a worried look on his face. "You do realize that if the plague spread through the Kingdom now, when we are already so vulnerable, it would mean the end of all of us."
"With all due respect Sir," Fynn took a deep breath, "Virtuebane is invading our cities and has killed our Queen! If we can not overcome a plague... we are already doomed."
Clegg sighed. "Very well Fynn, I will withdraw my men. But I shall hold you responsible if this plague grows out of control."
Fynn looked relieved. "Thank you Clegg, on behalf of the Yewish people."
Colonel Clegg walked Fynn back to his ship. Just as Fynn was about to board Clegg called him. "Be strong Fynn, the Kingdom needs us now!"
Fynn turned around and saluted. "For Britannia!"
Source: Fynn's meeting with Colonel Clegg
