2-The Master of Tosk

A religious leader learns of the enemy's movement and makes his own plans

    After leaving his servant appointment in the king's war council, Urian struggled to climb the winding, endless stairs, dragging the usless leg behind him and using the rough stone wall as support.  The pathway was narrow, and though the freezing gusts from the open corridor below needled his skin through the thin brown cassock, the tightening space made him sweat.  The leg, his leg, though it wouldn't obey, protested vehemently as he climbed.  Pain crept through the otherwise deadened limb, and brought forth more sweat still.  Brother Eerush tormented him by keeping that vicious dog alive and in his private quarters, waiting to mutilate another person.  Pausing for breath, Urian remembered the most recent casualty, the kitchen girl, and how heavy her small frame was as he rolled her into the hardened winter ground.  The dog had come at her from behind, clipping the back of her legs, and when she fell, he ripped her soft skin from her face and opened her throat.  Urian much preferred her appearance during her nighttime visits to his room, when the candlelight illuminated her tiny pink breasts and even gave her homely face an air of beauty.  Through his intricate network of spies, the good brother always learned of Urian's trysts, and did anything necessary to keep him subjugated.  Eerush had baited the dog, of course.  First, teasing the beast with the leftover meat from his plate, and as the girl came to clear the supper, throwing it towards her.  Wiping the sweat from his smooth head and shivering from his dampened clothes, Urian continued bitterly towards the top of the staircase.

    It was just like Eerush to continue taunting him, even after the decimating incrimination for the murderous fire all those years ago. Eerush undoubtedly orchestrated the plot himself, however there was no proof.  He had always been lazy, yet ambitious, and continued to go to any lengths to secure his superior position, with the exception of succumbing to hard work.  The oversized wooden door loomed ahead, and pausing for a moment to catch his breath and calm his hammering nerves, Urian knocked to make his presence known.

    Brother Eerush reclined in his wide chair resting the dinner plate on his rounded belly, disregarding the crumbs and juices that fell onto his chest.  The moronic kitchen staff had done reasonably well with his evening meal, he supposed.  Pork ribs, seasoned well, spicy crawfish, and an array of grapes and plums were served with a full jug of warmed red wine.  He dropped the discarded bones down to the slobbering mutt at his side, "There, there Saltos my love.  A tasty treat for you."  His jeweled rings glittered in the candlelight as his generous fingers squeezed each grape to test their ripeness.  Many of them were well over due, with brown rings forming at the tops.  He pushed them onto a separate plate.  He would remind himself to throw them in the servant's face when she came to collect the plates.  Finding that the meat was sparse on one of the ribs, he held it for the dog to lick.

    A feeble knock on the door alerted him to his imbicile page.  Urian was such a lump.  Smiling, Brother Eerush thought of his self made success; surpassing Urian in status even though the welch exceeded him in marks during their years at school together.  Urian exceeded him in ventures of romance as well, though it was forbidden and never spoken of.  Turning his face towards the warmth of the hearth, Eerush inhaled the scent of the wood smoke and thought of their dearly departed Master of the Tosk, and how his frantic screams for help went unheard and eventually burbled out altogether.  The evidence presented could only point to the favorite of the seminary, and the masses love a good show.  There is never a better way to entertain than with a scandal.  The proverbial shining star, falling from the heavens.  Many had believed in Urian's innocence, but the motive was there; Urian being next in line for the title of Master.  A few well placed pieces of evidence, and rumors whispered in the shadows were enough to place the blame beyond Eerush, and once he had claimed the title himself, no one dared to mention it further.  I saw to it that you burned up that day as well, Urian.  

    Putting the slobbered rib onto the plate with the grapes, Eerush began to answer and then paused.  He will wait.  Brother Eerush lifted himself from his chair and stalled, walking idly towards the table spread with maps and small model figures.  The door opened and Eerush feigned surprise, "Ah, Urian" he greeted, turning and smoothing the front of his thick crimson mantle. "I was just ruminating on our younger years" he smiled.  "However, I don't believe I called for you to enter" the smile was gone as Eerush turned back to his maps.  Urian stopped in the doorway, uncertainly.  "Oh just come in and stop your damned dawdeling.  What is it?"

    "I have news Master" Urian stumbled through the sentence as he watched the dog approaching.  Smiling again at the page's obvious discomfort, Eerush focused on the table in silence for several drawn out moments.  "AND? Don't just stand there like an idiot, Urian.  You are seen as incompetent already, with your drab clothing and menial day to day tasks."  Urian remained still as the dog stared at him and growled in greeting.  "Oh, never mind, I'm being rude" Eerush apologized, swatting the dog to the side.  "Come in and sit with me.  I was just finishing supper.  Here, I've made you a plate." 

    Hesitantly, Urian walked towards the table with the Master and waited for him to sit before seating himself.  As Eerush pushed the grapes and solitary rib towards him, Urian began, "I've just left my duties in the king's council room, Master, and there has been movement on the Southern coast.  The enemy has taken several of the smaller towns and the armies continue their march towards the North.  There is great fear as well, and no one knows how the horde continues.  Many of them seem to have the sickness observed in the Western colonies, with flesh dripping from their very bones!" He made the circular sign of the Tosk before he continued.  "The great winds from our Northern border mountains do nothing to slow their progress, and they have burned every crop they have crossed, leaving ash in their wake.  We do not know how they sustain.  The riders following their progression North have not seen reinforcements or any supplies being brought to renew their stores.  However, their numbers are growing as they advance.  They seem to be gathering men from the towns they conquer and turning them to fight and march against us.   They grow in size even as we speak, Master."

    Eerush bit into a plum as he mulled over the new information.  "This disease, Urian" he baited, "Do the healers know nothing at all about the cause of it?"

    "No master, they are claiming it is witchcraft, and urge the king to send riders to the Isle of Irusen to beg for assistance." Urian's eyes widened as he spoke of the unholiest of places.

    Eerush leaned forward, "And what is the king's decision?" he urged.

    "His majesty insists on sending no riders, Master.  He plans to flank the approaching army with ships coming in from the Isle of Jufemos, and send a large battalion from the East, currently stationed in an outpost just South of the trading city of Roluna." Urian absently picked up his rib and took a small bite. "Master, he believes we can defeat them with this one strong attack.  After all, they are terribly infected and have no supplies.  Even with their newest recruits, they are no match for us in numbers."

    Watching Urian eat the discarded rib with a look of amusement, Eerush began to relax.  They were as of yet, unaware of the larger danger from the West, and he was free to work in stealth.  "The mages of Irusen are dangerous, and cannot be trusted.  Our king is wise to avoid them, and I will applaud his caution when I next advise him in spiritual matters."  He concluded, rising and walking towards the map spread across his table.  Following suit, Urian peered at the map with the small figures and watched the Master move them across the table, according to the new information.  "Master, what is the black castle to the West?  I believed the region to be deserted after the ravaging sickness infected the colonists."

    Eerush raised his brows as he looked at Urian carefully, "Oh, that's a new settlement from across the Sea of Operion.  I've only had brief contact with them, but I understand their healers use techniques unknown to the North to stay any of the remaining disease.  My hope is that they prove to be an invaluable ally."  Turning back to the map, Eerush dismissed his page, "Leave me now, Urian.  I have work to do.  Saltos will see you out."  Saltos, hearing his name, jumped up and trotted towards his master, and Urian backed slowly out of the room.

Reviews

[Kathy Van Kurin]

"The Master of Task"
D. Connolly,
Is it historical fiction? Is it story about someone's life housed in imagination? You seem to enjoy the process of bringing ideas to life within a make believe world within this chapter. My heart went out to the ones within this saga which are misused. So far Urian is managing to be useful and I find myself wondering if Eurish will befriend his old class mate as is intimated early in this chapter. You are building the suspense beautifully.
Blessings,
Kathy

[D Connolly]

Kathy, thank-you so much! It's a story from my imagination; I have ideas that are very lofty... I hope I can pull it off! My goal is to write a saga, with multiple stories that eventually combine into one at the end. Thank-you so much for reading and reviewing, it is so helpful

[HeyJadeXO]

You are making me like a genre I don't usually like =] Very Cool !

[D Connolly]

Hey, that's awesome! Thank-you! :)

[barleygirl]

Your story is interesting & compelling . . . it comes alive with your vivid descriptions of the little details of every action, such as eating & feeding the dog. I'm not a big fan of this genre (fantasy/war) but your storyline is clear & understandable, being more about fleshing out the various unusual characters than being about war (so far).

[D Connolly]

thank-you for reading! I'm trying to focus on the characters more than anything right now. I want them to really come alive

[Valentine]

I am not into this type of story, too old. You write with interest and draw your readers in. Valentine

[D Connolly]

Thanks for reading though Kathie!! I'm so glad you took the time :)