Paragon of Order

By Simon Fern

Relations between the Paladins of Order and the Lords of Chaos have always been hostile with both sides turning a blind eye to cross-border raids, or actively sponsoring them. Despite this, a fragile balance of power has existed for a century or more which has kept their borders fairly unchanged. This balance is threatened when Sir Thomas D’Brentieu, Paladin of the Greater Prefecture of Brentieu, seeking to emulate the deeds of the ancient heroes of Order, begins planning a crusade against the heathen tribes of Pandemonium and their dark Lord, Legion.

Sir Thomas’ neighbour, the newly appointed Paladin of the Greater Prefecture of Valan, find themselves with an unenviable choice: side with the orthodox, some might say fanatical, Sir Thomas and become embroiled in a war with the Lord of Shadow Keep, or remain neutral and risk attracting the ire of both sides?

Dr S. Fern hails from the south east of England. Being inspired by the early fantasy and horror writers of the last century, his work tends not to follow the modern template for such work, often resulting in bizarre and sometimes macabre twists to his tales.

www.drsfern.weebly.com

• Language: English
• Publisher: Legend Press
• Release date: Jun 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781787194304

Book preview

Chapter one

Fragrant blossoms danced in the air, held aloft by a cool spring breeze, their perfume delicate and sweet. The same breeze that blew the falling blossoms into the small rural town also ruffled the young knight's shaggy blonde hair as he stood tall, waiting. Around him Cheme was beginning to wake up, its residents gradually leaving their homes in pursuit of the day's business, though no one seemed in much of a hurry. The young man's bearing was proud as Sir D'Valan, who until two days ago had been Sir D'Cheme, trotted into the town square at the head of two dozen retainers, the town's folk stepping to one side to let them pass. Sir D'Valan dismounted from a huge grey charger and walked up to the young man. Both knight's harnesses of plate caught the morning sun, shining brilliantly.

'Sir Henry D'Cheme, I hereby pass to you the mantle of Knight Protector.' Sir D'Valan unbuckled a small leather pouch from his belt and handed it to the young knight who received it with reverence. Opening it, he withdrew a chain on which hung a silver pendant in the shape of a single-headed arrow. He placed it about his neck before returning to regard Sir D'Valan, the only parent he had ever known.

'Everything has happened so quickly. A couple of days ago you were knight protector of this town and I was just your son, but now you are Paladin of Valan and I am Cheme's knight protector; how quickly things change.'

Sir D'Valan regarded him with a look that spoke equally of a parent's love and a Lord's authority. 'Quickly maybe, but not unpredictably. You know as well as I do that if you take the precepts of Order to heart, study them and live by them, nothing will take you by surprise.' Sir D'Valan noticed the young knight detect the slightly patronising tone and immediately regretted it. Henry had learned his lessons well. He was more than ready to become this town's protector.

'Of course, Sir, forgive me,' the young knight replied.

'There is nothing to forgive. Serve the Lord of Order well, adhere to his laws and you will discharge your duty with honour.' Sir D'Valan stepped forward and embraced Sir Henry. 'I will see you soon, Son.' The newly appointed Paladin of Valan broke the embrace and remounted.

'Arnùnen guide your way,' Sir Henry said.

'His way is my way,' the paladin replied, completing the Lord of Order's blessing before turning and leading the retainers out of the town without looking back.

With the gentle spring breeze rustling the new growth in the surrounding trees, the newly appointed Paladin of Valan Castle found a little time to reflect. For all that had been said Sir Henry had been right; promotion from knight protector to paladin had come suddenly. Yes, of course the lawmasters had studied Arnùnen's Tome and divined who should become the castle's next Lord but the ancient texts were so complex that no mere knight could hope to understand them fully. Still, thanks to their sacrificial service, the lawmasters had seen the palatinates safely through hundreds of years of constant aggression from the Lords of Pandemonium. And so it was with a firm sense of conviction, and not a little pride, that Paladin Sir D'Valan led the cohort of retainers north-west towards Valan Castle.

The forest gradually thinned out giving way to tilled fields and downlands over which herds of cattle grazed. As they rode towards the castle, the cavalry troop would occasionally pass small herdsman's huts set a little way back from the road. Barring these meagre dwellings and the occasional hamlet, the road to the castle cut through uninhabited country. Eventually they crested a rise and Valan Castle came into view.

Built from local dark stone the bastion of the Greater Prefecture of Valan stood proudly. Its many bright pennants and banners flapped in the wind, at once a symbol of enduring steadfastness to the townfolk living in its shadow, and a proud sign of defiance to the Ogre Tyranny of Ah-Kun to the east, in Pandemonium.

The town surrounding Valan Castle was large and thriving. As Sir D'Valan and the retainers rode through its suburbs and entered the town proper they were assaulted by the usual heady mix of aromas typical of a large town: wood smoke mingled with over-ripe body odour whilst horse and cattle manure competed with the more palatable aromas of cooking food for supremacy. The cacophony of voices that drowned most other sounds petered out as they rode past, leaving the clinking of their armour and the clop of their steeds' hooves as the predominant sound. Upon their approach, the townsfolk would clear the road, stepping under the awnings of the many timber-framed shops and less permanent stalls that lined the thoroughfare in order to make way for them.

It was mid-afternoon when Sir D'Valan led the way through the castle's gates and brought the troop to a halt in the large main courtyard of the vast fortress. Immediately their presence was noticed by a passing knight who approached Sir D'Valan, ignoring the accompanying cavalrymen.

'Welcome to Valan Castle, I am Sir Gilhaum, how may I be of service?'

'My name is Sir D'Valan. I am expected. Please take me to the loremaster,' the paladin replied.

'He is currently holding court, Sir. I'm afraid he is unavailable.'

'An open court?'

'Yes.'

'Very well, I will sit in until its conclusion. Please show me the way, and see to my men.'

'Of course, Sir.' Sir Gilhaum summoned a passing servant. 'See that the horses are stabled and these men provided with accommodation – they will be permanent guests.' The servant bowed and received the reins of Sir D'Valan's charger once the paladin had dismounted.

'If you will follow me I will show you to the courtroom,' Sir Gilhaum said before making his way across the courtyard.

The courtroom was a large wooden hall that adjoined part of the castle's eastern curtain wall. The interior was gloomy despite the windows in the three timber walls: the ornate candelabra that stood at each end of the hall would only be lit at sunset. Sir D'Valan entered via a pair of large, open, twin doors built into one of the hall's short walls. Several rows of benches lined the two long walls whilst at the far end the loremaster, a man of late years, sat in a large ornately carved wooden seat. Despite his evident age and physical frailty he possessed an air of authority that was impossible to miss and which was augmented by his immaculate white robes. There were a few people seated along the benches. A couple of soldiers were also present, sitting together at the far end of the hall nearest the loremaster, but most appeared to be civilians. A single figure was not seated: she was of middle years and looked to be a townswoman of low standing.

Sir Gilhaum gestured for Sir D'Valan to take a seat on one of the side benches. The wood creaked as the paladin, in full armour, sat down. Several of the seated civilians looked round, as did the two soldiers. The old loremaster simply nodded to Sir Gilhaum, who returned the gesture before turning to leave, and then continued as if nothing had happened.

'I have heard the evidence. You stand convicted of the theft of a brace of Ghourn last week. How do you plead?' the old man asked.

'I…' the woman began, shifting from one foot to the other. 'Those birds fed my whole family. I had nothing else – my husband's dead—'

'Your husband was killed repulsing an ogre raid last year, that is not in dispute,' the old man interrupted, gesturing to her with his rod of office – a plain wooden staff the top of which had been carved into the form of the single-headed arrow of Order. 'Neither is your current state of impoverishment in dispute. What is in dispute is your right to the six birds that were found in your possession. There are numerous sources of charity for people in your situation. This has been illustrated. So I ask again, Mrs Carine, how do you plead?'

'I took them, so I suppose I'm guilty, although I can't understand how providing for three hungry children is a crime,' the woman replied in a dejected tone.

'I hereby find you guilty, Mrs Carine, not of trying to provide for your family, but of theft. You do not understand my verdict you say? You are hereby to be interred in a cell in the lower cloister until you can recite chapters sixteen and seventeen of volume eight, as well as chapter three of volume ten, of Arnùnen's Tome. These chapters will explain to you, not only why you have been found guilty today but also why you should seek the charity of the palatinate when it is needed rather than relying on yourself to sort out problems that are clearly beyond your ability to resolve.'

'But what about my children?' the woman asked, tears in her eyes.

'They will be taken care of here in the castle at the expense of the Palatinate, as it is written, in accordance with the law.' The old lawmaster turned to the two soldiers. 'You may take her to her cell now.' His tone was calm and measured, one that would brook no argument. Without trouble the single mother of three was led away to begin her incarceration. Striking his rod twice against the hall floor he closed the day's proceedings.

Those few people who had remained to witness Mrs Carine's trial quickly left the hall, leaving Sir D'Valan alone with the loremaster. The paladin rose as the old man across the hall, his pace slow but steady.

'You must be Sir D'Valan, we have been expecting you. I am Arbert Delbes, Loremaster of Valan. May I?' the loremaster stretched out his hand.

'Of course.' The paladin removed from a pouch on his belt the letter that had been received from the Palatine at Lome. The old man took it, read it through once and handed it back.

'So you were Knight Protector of Cheme. Castle Valan is quite different. How are you feeling?'

'Eager and confident, but rather ignorant. I would meet my knights exemplar as soon as can be arranged,' the paladin replied as they walked out of the hall into the bright sunlit courtyard.

'Indeed. Acceptance of one's ignorance is no sin, indeed it is indicative of humble wisdom,' the old man replied, a note of agreement combined with a little relief in his voice. 'I have one question. You have not removed your helm since you entered the court and so I suspect you have not removed it at all since your arrival here.' The paladin nodded and the old man continued. 'Why?'

'I wish to introduce myself to my lieutenants at the same time and before anyone else. It is a matter of courtesy, nothing more.'

'Nothing more? Sir Paladin, courtesy is a much underrated attribute; do not be so ready to undervalue it. Come, I will summon your exemplars to the main audience chamber.' Together Arbert and Sir D'Valan crossed the courtyard and entered the castle's imposing keep.

Little more than twenty minutes passed before the last of the servants Arbert had sent out returned, accompanied by the third and last of Sir D'Valan's knights exemplar.

'May I introduce you to your knights exemplar; your joint seconds-in-command,' Arbert began before motioning to the first knight; a tall, heavily built man with a shock of black hair and a long thick beard. Wearing little more than a pair of dirty boots, trousers and an under-shirt he did not immediately convey the image of a knight, though the heavy, foot-long rondel dagger hanging from his belt dismissed any doubts as to his rank. 'Sir Erbrat,'

In response to his introduction Sir Erbrat crossed the chamber floor and offered his hand. Sir D'Valan accepted the knight's rough handshake despite the fact that technically he should have waited for Sir D'Valan to approach him.

'And Sir Arnetz,' Arbert introduced the second of Sir D'Valan's exemplars. Sir Arnetz was just as tall as Sir Erbrat but much slighter in build. This was clearly evident from the fact that although they appeared to be just as broad-shouldered, Sir Arnetz was in full armour. With neatly tied elbow-length blonde hair and a clean chin the young knight was Sir Erbrat's antithesis in appearance, and evidently in courtly manners, for he did not cross the chamber as his older comrade had. And so it was, that in the proper manner, Sir D'Valan approached and initiated the greeting.

'And finally Sir Gutan,' Sir Gutan was the oldest of the knights present; on the far side of middle-age he held himself with confidence. Somewhat in between his fellow exemplars in build he stood before his new paladin wearing a low quality, battered, notched and dented harness of plate. A simple longsword hung from an old belt and his close shaven head showed signs of recent perspiration.

'I was training,' he explained simply, gesturing to his sword and battered armour, in answer to the unasked question.

'You have nothing to explain, Sir Gutan,' Sir D'Valan said, approaching third exemplar. Sir Gutan accepted his paladin's proffered hand and the two shook firmly. 'Greetings, gentlemen, well met. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am your new paladin, Sir Ethilia D'Valan.'

Chapter two

There was silence in the audience chamber for a moment.

'Surely this is some kind of joke!' Sir Gutan exclaimed as Ethilia removed her helm for the first time. Shoulder-length brown hair framed and attractive face set with bright blue eyes.

'It is no joke, Sir Gutan, I assure you,' the lawmaster confirmed.

'But she's… she's a woman! She's not capable… There's never been a female paladin before…' the shocked exemplar spluttered.

'You are right, Sir Gutan: I have not heard of it ever having happened before, but it is not in violation of the law. There is nothing in Arnùnen's Tome that expressly forbids a woman from taking up the mantle of paladin,' the old man explained. 'Are you questioning the judgement of the Palatine or the lawmasters, Sir Knight?'

'No, of course not.' There was little conviction in Sir Gutan's voice. 'I have a training session I must return to. Loremaster, Sir Erbrat, Sir Arnetz… Paladin.' Still fuming, knight exemplar excused himself with the minimum of decorum. Sir Erbrat made to follow him but Ethilia motioned for him not to.

'Let him go, Sir Erbrat, it's clear that he needs a bit of space. He will come round in time. Perhaps the two of you could show me around the