Priestess of Castle D'ior - Part 04

Ursa Blacksong - Winter of 113 YSTR

Castle D’oir - Winterlunde

…

One thing Ursa had learned early on was that the Duchess had a fondness for games and once per week often on the 5th day she would set aside an afternoon and have Ursa or some of the other ladies of court join her for a game of cards or draughts or backgammon depending on her mood that day. Given their shared kinship and close proximity Ursa found herself the individual the Duchess called upon to join her on those days.

…

“The names on that list, do you know them?” The Duchess inquired in passing as she shuffled the deck in her hands before arranging the cards once again into a neat stack before she divided the deck and started dealing the cards out between them.

Ursa paused for a moment collecting the paper in hand and scanned down the list of dozen or so names before nodding her understanding.

“I am familiar with some of the surnames written here like - Dayard, Picard, and Rathborne. They were the names of Knights I knew during the war but honestly that was decades ago and beyond the names themselves I could not recall anything remarkable about the individuals themselves. These could be the sons or grandson or perhaps individuals unrelated to the men I knew entirely.”

Ursa paused, taking note of the third name on the list however.

“This third name here however is very familiar to me… “ Ursa offered with a nod. “ Lady Angelina LaBlanc, Paladin of the High Church, Knight of the White Order, Merciful Sister of the Knights of the Rose. I’ve also heard her called the Butcher of Karavoss, The Jackal of New Sarnia, and Elf Slayer as well as a few other less noteworthy names.”

“Such wonderfully colorful titles.” The Duchess gave a soft chuckle as she finished dealing the cards and started arranging the cards in her hand. “ Do share with me what more you know of her?”

Ursa shrugged, collecting her own cards in hand and starting to put them in order.

“I gather she’s typical of this newest breed of Knights the High Church has been putting to field of late. A mindless zealot and if rumors are to be believed xenophobic to boot. I have heard it said that she despises the elves of Karavoss. Female elves in particular and takes a great deal of pleasure in butchering them in the name of the High Church.”

The Duchess sighed, her lips offering a hint of a frown. “ Just the elves of Karavoss or elves in general do you think?”

“ I very doubt she’s smart enough to know there is a difference between the two, my Lady.” Ursa noted with dry humor. “Intelligence after all is not a desirable trait amongst the faithful as I recall.”

The Duchess seemingly couldn’t help but laugh at Ursa’s jab before settling back in her chair and drawing her fingers over the tops of her cards as she considered her first move.

“May I inquire as to the importance of this list my Lady?” Ursa motioned to the paper on the table where she had left it.

The Duchess gave a slight nod as she spoke. “ I had my man inside the Information Guild see about collecting the names of the possible candidates for the coming years Trail of Succession. As it happens he already had a list of names he had collected of persons of interest that oddly enough had arrived in the Winterlunde just before and after you yourself had. Those very names in point of fact… “

Ursa noted aloud rereading the list of names. “ Before and after you say… “

“Indeed.” The Duchess frowned her annoyance as she collected her first card from the deck on the table and then dropping it onto the facing stack beside it. “ It seems there is a songbird amongst my ravens.”

Ursa for her part said nothing, collecting a card from the deck in turn and dropping another from her hand.

“To be honest the High Church has never really bothered sending more than one or two candidates for the Trail of Succession in the years before. So you can imagine my surprise in the discovery that all three candidate slots have already been filled this year and each of them has two or three back-up candidates ready to take their place should something unforeseen happen to them.” The Duchess remarked, collecting another card from the deck.

Ursa shrugged as she scanned through her own cards for a moment. “ I would venture that perhaps the White Council of the High Church might be a tad concerned about you suddenly taking an interest in the trails after nearly a decade and then even going so far as to import your own candidate for the trails.”

“That, or they just really don't care for the candidate I selected.” The Duchess smirked from behind her cards.

Ursa smiled as well. “I have no doubt your dark horse candidate is causing them no end of distress and many sleepless nights my Lady.”

“I should hope so… “ The Duchess noted aloud, drawing another card from the deck. " I put a great deal of effort into being this annoying if you had not already noticed."

…