The sun peaked through the small windows of the stone halls in the grand fortress. The red drapes that hung over the slits glew pink with the afternoon sun and a hint of the fields fragrence that surrounds the fortress kissed the usual stale air that usually compliments the atmosphere of a military fort. 
    
    The clack of heavy hooves rang through the empty halls, muffling out the soft pounding of boots that stepped next to them on their way to Freg's study.
    
    "So Kunland?" Silini, the owner of the boots, asked Freg. Her eyes hinted at a sense of worry as they scanned the silent minotaur who walked siluetted in front of the windows glow.
    
    The heavy beastly scholar just gave casual minotaur grunt, which was all she had been able to get out of the thinking minotaur the entire walk, something she thought she would be used to by now. Whenever Freg went on a journey into his thoughts, it always worred Silini. Freg would become extremely reserved and almost adopt a permanent scowl on his face until he would finally reach the end of his thought and claim the conclusion his treasure before returning to the present physical world as his usual self. The troubling part was the actual journey, as Silini did not know exactly what Freg pondered on so intently, only that his eyes looked dim, and his smile nonexistant until the long awaited conclusion.
    
    Suddenly another sound of an approaching individual echoed in the hollowed hallway, quickly approaching the pair with intent and haste.
    
 “I beg your forgiveness for interrupting you two” Loreley interjected, “but there was a matter I felt needed to be brought to your attention erelong.” She slithered into the room, allowing for those who accompanied her to enter as well. “Allow me to introduce a few interested parties from beyond Kunland.”

    Freg and Silini turned to the approching group and Freg gave Silini a very familiar look with his dark eyes. The tall horned woman gave an uncomfortable smile to the group and clapped her hands once as if to banish a few stray thoughts.
    
    "Yes, how can I help?" Silini asked politely, engaging Loreley with a warm gaze and welcoming posture.

    Following a fair distance behind Loreley was a tall but slender man.  His feet moved softly on the ground, whispering the quality of the simple garb he wore.  A long dark forest green cloak trimmed in red overhung the man’s face, casting it in shadow.  He lifted his hands up and drew back the hood revealing a healthy yet pale looking face topped with short silver hair.  The man moved forward and proffered his hand before he spoke warmly, “Greetings, I am Viscount Heiun.”
    
    "I am Silini of Harnia," The woman said happily as she shook Heiun's hand with a little too much vigor. 
    
    The Viscount reciprocated the handshake as best he could manage and continued, “Though you may have guessed, I have been dispatched from Ararllia. “ 
    
     He paused for a moment and continued in a more serious tone, “Forgive this rather unceremonious meeting but i fear Ararllia is not the bastion of stability it once was, the Queen figured it best to make any participation in this expedition strictly unofficial.  There are a few nobles sorely lacking in loyalty that would exploit any perceived weakness to undermine her position.  To that end you may note I have come with the Kunlanders.” 
     
      The Viscount gestured at Loreley, “It is not much but I would ask you to welcome some twenty men that with Freg’s consent will be joining your expedition from Ararllia, though for the moment they will be flying Kunland colours.”

    Silini looked at Freg who was still in the shadows created by the windows and made a face at his absent presence before turning back to the Viscount.
    
    "The more the merrier," Silini confirmed as she flashed a wide smile, "Is Kunland providing the living supplies for your twenty, or does her Majesty plan on sending some funds of her own?"

“Certainly, the funds and resources for our men will be provided by her Majesty.  Much like the majority of the men going the funds will come from the royal palace.  A few missing guards can be explained away with ease in a regiment of hundreds, money is even easier.  Enough supplies for fifty men have been arranged as well as a generous sum paid to Kunland for their gracious service.”     
 
The Viscount stopped for a moment to scratch his head before responding, “Oh, and of course you no doubt want to know why Ararllia has any interest in the matter at all.  To be frank, some of the nobles have become worried by the persistence of rumors concerning this Darkness, beyond that what we have learned through interaction with our allies has only escalated our worry.  For the moment our men mean to observe and to learn as much as is possible, if this Darkness is the threat professed measures should be taken.”

    A rough snort sounded from the shadows and Freg stepped in to the conversation, " I assure you, they will learn quickly."
    
    Silini bit her red lip as she recognized the restless tone that rang vibrantly out of Freg's throat.
    
    "Viscount," Silini began softly, "The darkness is no soft matter, and certainly worth more than a quick check up."
    
    "Perhaps you should pledge yourself or another of importance in regal courts to the expedition to convince your government," Freg continued deeply, "The darkness is not fond of warning its victims, so please hear mine."

The viscount shifted uncomfortably at that and somewhat hesitantly uttered, “Well…  I would not be of much help I assure you.”  The viscount rubbed his head uncomfortably before continuing a bit more confidently, “However, as for a noble going on the expedition it seems you may get that wish, her majestys cousin has taken that task upon himself much to the Queens vexation.   Concerning the darkness, well we will discover the truth of the matter soon enough.”

"Is he with the twenty?" Silini asked curiously, "What's his name?

“He is yes, though that is a dubious assertion at any given moment.  He tends to wander, I suppose thats a part of his personality and thats...  Well, there is a reason I am here in his stead.”  The Viscount sighed before continuing, “He would be Tersan Martus.”

"Will he listen to Freg?" Silini pondered to the Viscount, her large eyes glancing at the once again thinking minotaur.

The Viscount smiled and replied, “Listen?  Oh yes he’ll [i]listen[/i] though whether or not he takes that information to heart is another matter.  I fear if you want him to take your word for true you would need more than an air of authority and a wizened look.  In my short experience if you tell him to do something he will either care enough to do it or go off in search of something that ‘interests him’ though I can’t imagine what he finds on those trips.”

Silini made a face, "This doesn't sound beneficial, at all really."

"I don't mean to offend, but this is a very sensitive and dangerous project," Silini rubbed her temples, "We'd rather not have any more challenges than necessary, are you sure sending him is wise at his current loyalty?"

    The Viscount understood Sillini’s position more than she knew and responded sympathetically, “Wise?  Truly I have no idea.  It was the sensitivity of the situation the Queen attempted to impress upon him from the moment he heard of this.  I fear that he understands well enough and yet still stubbornly insists upon going.  I have the idea that stubbornness comes due to one of the female Guards he was rather fond of signed up as well.  Unfortunately it seems the Queen eventually caved to his requests before I had that revelation, getting him to stay now would be task indeed."

"Quite frankly," Silini began, "This can be easily fixed before it causes any trouble, we can remove them both, can we not?"   

Silini looked over at the deep in thought Freg before turning her gaze back on the viscount, "You have no idea the horrors that await those who follow Father -- Freg, those who follow Freg into the cursed lands."

    "It would be foolish for me to let in someone who could easily and abrasively jeopardize everyones life and the worlds chance of redemption," emotion found its way to glaze over Silinis eyes and trembled her voice as she recalled what horrors she herself had seen and those described by her father.
    
    "I am trying to be sympathetic to the aid, dear Viscount, but Harnia and the World come before a single nobles romantic entanglement," Silini finished with a nod.
    
    “To speak candidly, I agree.  I anticipated this response well enough to make arrangements, though it will reflect poorly on me in court.  Still, I would rather he escape with his honour bruised rather than missing limbs.”  The Viscount sighed and continued, “I will remove both of them of course and tell the Queen you decided it would be best, a refusal from the Expeditions own command would be enough for her to bring him back promptly.  Of course that does leave us with the issue of you wanting a noble to come…  I may be able to convince one of my own younger brothers, having spent most his life in the military he is more than fit for it, beyond that he’s a trusted aid on the military council so I can see his word going a ways.  In any case I will ask him and dismiss her majesty’s cousin.”

    "I'm sorry for any issues that may come from the sudden replacement, " Silini said approvingly, "But I think the second canidate is more fit for the task."
    
    "Yes," Boomed the renewed and invigorated voice of Freg as he once more entered the conversation. The minotaurs eyes were no longer glossed but danced with a timeless youth behind the now burning coals that sat as his eyes.
    
    "A weak mind that is unwilling to follow proverb of the experienced is the Thartag's favorite toy," Freg said with a hefty accent while leaning on his mighty, magical axe that now shimmered as if the sun was hitting it at all angles.
    
    "So it is done,"Freg said as a smile broke from his face, causing Silini to smile back, relieved.
    
    "Your soldiers will march unnoticed to prove to your government that the darkness is not a silly story," Freg make a face as if he had tasted something horrible on the last words he spoke, "And your noble will lead them as he follows my advice, to prove the error of any misguided thoughts about the enemy."
    
   The Viscount was relieved that removing the Queens cousin was as easy as that, though he was a tad more scathing than he had to be.  Still, some people were not fit for tasks such as this.  “I can promise my brother will listen, as for convincing my government I know some will be more tractable than others, but if the evidence is as clear as you say I have no doubt the majority will consent to something being done.” 

 
   The Viscount smiled warmly.  Everything had gone to plan by now.  The appointment of his brother would put the information gained by this expedition into the hands of the military and out of the Queens.  Lords knew she would just sit idle on it as she had on the rebellion at her very doorstep.  Soon enough something would be done about that as well.
   
   "Then it is done," Freg bellowed heartily, "Let your men and women know to report to Kunlands Knight Commander who will report to me, or to me directly. This trip will be strenious and I want everyone ready before we take the first step of the march.
   
   Freg paused and leaned lower on his axe so that he was not towering above everyone, "They will need to be mentally as well as physically ready, perhaps retrained mentally if needed. The road ahead can make the supposed strongest of men wilingly walk off cliffs and unto their demise. I suspect a week or two of training to prepare oneself will have to suffice, as this journey cannot be delayed for too long. Then there is the task of aquainting the separant armies during the training. We must think as one, just as the Darthlukians."
   
   With a grunt to clear his throat Freg leaned back and straightened his posture, almost doubling his size, "So are we clear on what must be done?"

The viscount turned to Freg, “It seems so.  I will make all necessary preparations.”

"Good."

[hider= Things to Know]

- Ararllia has joined the expedition (covertly)

- Terson Martus has been rejected from the expedition 

- Ararllia's military now controls their involvement instead of their Queen

- More fregtastic posts to come, and perhaps this is not the last we heard of Terson!

[/hider]