He What! (RP Article)
"He did WHAT?" The Sage of the Wetlands roared, eyes wide and incredulous at the news he had just been presented. The small urchin running along beside the giant paused in his stride, perhaps fearing he might be eaten by the huge man in a fit of rage. A flock of grackles took wing at the noise, stirring the quiet trails of Ironwood with a few moments of raucous cawing.
"Got himself promoted, he did, sir. People say he has the Crown, sir." the young boy managed at last, regaining his composure and taking a few precautionary steps back toward the large trees. "When my Pa heard, he sent me straight out here to tell you, sir. Said you'd want to know."
"And we're talking about Sebastian? MY Sebastian?" the Sage asked, question in his voice and etched in his features. "You're certain of that?"
"Oh yes, sir. No doubt about it. Word is spreading like wildfire. The Tyrant is in hiding, some fear he is gathering his kinsmen from the Hills to march on the Border Keep. And Feral ... Feral, sir. The mobs are scouring the countryside looking for him, they mean to burn him alive, sir, as a heretic." the boy babbled on for some time, but the Sage heard very little of the details.
The peace brought by the Demon King had been short-lived indeed. The new Church had fallen and bloodthirsty mobs and mercenary foreigners were stalking the land. The Populace was in revolt and in it's madness had elected his Squire, Sebastian, to the lead the People. Sebastian. Holy crap.
And the Crown. The little shit actually had the Crown.
"Alright, son, I've heard enough," the Sage held up a hand, "You say the armies are meeting at the Border Keep?"
"Yes, sir. It's going to be a right major mess, as I hear tell."
"Indeed." The Sage reached in his pouch and tossed a silver pence to the lad, "Take that to your Father, tell him I said to get you some new shoes and use the change to buy some soap." Mussing the boys hair, the young messenger beamed with pride as he tucked the coin in his raggedy shoe for safe-keeping.
"Yes, sir!" he grinned and took off back down the trail.
Emmy had been watching from the steps of the cabin where she and Luke had been living for the last few months. The kids were making a racket in the living room, but her real concern was the strange look on Luke's face as he loped back up the walkway.
"What was that all about, sweetie?" she asked at last, the suspense of his huge grin finally getting the best of her.
The Sage shook his mane of graying hair, a massive smile on his face.
"The Kingdom is in revolt, Margul's peace of conquest has ended and Bas, of all People, is leading the charge. I've been hiding out for too long and things have gotten way out of hand. Pack the kids, woman. We've got some traveling to do. "
She folded her arms, raised an eyebrow and slyly returned the smile, "Well, it's about damn time."
-Luke
