A man worthy.

[Rit Megliaf]

I have just heard that you are in need of some new nobles, seeing how the last ones were traitors to the crown. I, Cirion Derufin, am currently heading to your city and wish to pledge my alliegence to your majesty. Perhaps I could prove to be useful when I arrives.

Cirion Derufin, Knight of the realm

Rit's eye's widened as he read over the letter over and over again. Perhaps he had found the kind of man he was looking. Could this be possible? He been bored with reading requests for so long perhaps he was delusional. No, this letter was truly in front of his eyes.

"Send for this Cirion Derufin at once." His might voice boomed throughout the mansion calling for any able servant to do his biding. This was true joy. At last he had found a man worthy. At last.

[Asheira]

It wasn’t until several moments alter that Asheira walked lazily into her Lords presence, her entire being absolutely seething with distaste as she approach the King and bowed, ever so slightly to his presence.

“You bellowed your Majesty.” She wanted to say, but instead, simply bowed her head and awaited for further instructions.

Asheira truly hated her enslavement, and as such, it showed in her every move. She had been beaten so many times in her life that it bothered her not beyond the hear and now. It was always over, at one point or the next, and truly, she would one day, be free, she knew it.. OR that was what she kept telling herself, at any rate, but truly, a slave for a King, she would perhaps perish as she was, enslaved. Oh how she wanted to spit in his face.

[Cirion Derufin]

It had taken Cirion Derufin some time to find the lord's mansion, but it unmistakably was noticeable out of the other houses clustered nearby. Such beauty was a luxury that Cirion had no time for; he believed that too much luxury corrupts a man, but this house was so beautiful it was understandable for such great care to be lavished upon it.

Cirion's armor clinked as he dismounted his horse and tied it to a nearby pole. He put his lance alongside the horse and left his shield there as well. He walked through the outer gates, sword swaying at his side, and passed through several gardens before reaching the door. He knocked on the door once and he raised his helmet's visor while waiting for a reply.

[Rit Megliaf]

Gathering up the many pieces of parchment scattered across his desk, it took Rit a second to notice that his personal servant, Asheira, had entered the room looking grumpier than ever. This was half the reason he used her most to run his errands. He enjoyed her dislike for everything that made up her current life.

"See this," he said to Asheira and held up the letter that Cirion had sent. "This is from Cirion Derufin wishing to pledge his allegiance to me." He placed the parchment back down of the desk, separate from the others, and continued to gather up the various letters of complaint and applications. "Go search out this man at once and bring him here."

He looked back up at Asheira, the sternest look stretched across his features. "I will not stand you're dark behavior for the time being that I usually let you get away with. I wish to show this man respect and not scare him away. Are you clear on this?"

He went back to cleaning up the mess of his desk. "And tell one of the kitchen maids to bring up some hot tea while you're at it." His mood had changed drastically after he read Cirion's letter. He was usually much stricter in his speech but he was too over joyed at the moment to show any true grumpiness.

[Asheira]

Asheira stood in the room, her eyes following his actions as he shuffled through the parchments and then held one of them up. Her quick eyes caught snippets of the writing and the mans signature at the end, nothing really more than that.

He tolerates me because why? She wondered, she had hoped that when she had come into his services that he’d eventually leave her to the menial tasks of servant girl, due to her nature, but he continued to send her on these errands of uninteresting importance, why? She held back a growl of displeasure. She knew the answer, and this only made for her mood to lessen all the more and her dark gaze became even darker.

“Right away My Lord.” She nearly growled. “And I promise, I shall put on the face of sunshine, for his Majesty.” She finished with the most sarcastic of tones as she turned from his presence and headed out of the room to find this man who seemed to want to aid her Lord, and, have him tea brought up.

She had just left the kitchen when the knock sounded through the hall and so, she took it upon herself to answer the door, ignoring the rule that only the butler of the house should do so.

The door swung open before the human knight and Asheira stood, looking up at him. “Yes.” She grumbled.

[Cirion Derufin]

Cirion stepped to the side as the door opened. He gazed down at a woman who had opened the door. He bowed to the woman, and asked her, "I am here to pledge my services to Rit Megliaf. Could you please take me to him? And if you need to tell him anything, tell him that Cirion Derufin has arrived." At last, thought Cirion, I shall once again have a lord to serve and duties to uphold. Just like the old times with Arthedain. He took off his helmet and held it in his left hand as he waited for the woman's reply.

[Asheira]

Asheira raised one fine brow at the knight standing before her. Knights, they were all the same, so willing to serve a King. Well if this was the man she had been sent to find, at least he was noble enough to find the home of his desired king on his own, that showed at least a semblance of intelligence.

“Well, you certainly made my job a whole lot easier.” She answered him. “Follow me, and please, stop bowing to me, if he sees you doing that, he’ll have my hide on a plague somewhere about this forsaken place.” She greeted him again as she stepped aside to allow him entrance into the house.

With out waiting for any form of reply, she then did an about face and began the journey through the immaculate home towards her masters chambers, again.

She took the Knight through the halls until they reached the room she had just moment before, it seemed, left. She opened the door and stepped in.

“He’s here My lord.” She said in way of introducing the Knight, her tone the usual.

[Cirion Derufin]

Cirion looked upon the lord he was going to serve; Rit Megliaf. Lord Megliaf looked a bit younger than the knight, but Cirion saw in this man's eyes and posture that his lord knew what he was doing. This comforted him, for he had seen others lords and they had no idea on how to run their lands.

Cirion knelled on one knee before Rit Megliaf. His face was looking at the floor as he said, "Hail Lord! I'm Sir Cirion Derufin. I have come to pledge my allegiance to you and serve you in whatever way you deem fit."

[Rit Megliaf]

Rit just spared a quick glance at his servant for her behavior and then devoted his attention to the knight. He just sat there watching for a moment. He viewed over the man many times. This appeared to be a knight who earned his title. A brave man of much talent.

The man knelt down and pledged his service to Rit. Rit merely sat there staring for a moment longer and then spoke. "Please rise. Of all the warriors I have seen in my day you alone stand out in front of them. Your mere appearance tells a story of great deeds. I am honored that you come to me. Rit was as much a powerful speaker as he was a warrior himself. With a quick nod he motioned for his servant to leave the room and then continued.

"My kingdom has run into a shortage of willing advisors. Though who appear a great warrior you come to me in times of peace. Such spoken may I ask for your counsel."

[Cirion Derufin]

Cirion slowly rose from his previous position and stood before his new lord. "I mean no disrespect, lord; but even in peace it cannot hurt to be prepared for war. I noticed upon my arrival of your city that the gates were unguarded; save one young squire, Adrienne, stood watch. Where were the other guards? And why would one let rusted gates still stand when they need repair. But for give me; its not my place to say such things. Tell me what you need my counsel for, and I shall answer to the best of my abilities."

[Rit Megliaf]

"No, no. You have all right to address this matter." He stood and walked over to the large and only window in this office. From this point it over looked most of the city including the gate in question. As the knight had said the gate was rusting, enough to even be seen from Rit's mansion. He turned back to face the loyal knight. "This kingdom, including this city, has seen peace since before I came to power and far before that. The gates were made when war was upon all of the land but when the fighting ended the rulers of this kingdom, including myself, became lazy of it. I must say that my lacking concern for it is disappointing but you must hear me out. This city looks to the ever rusting gate as hope. As long as it is unguarded then the people have no need for alarm."

He walked back over to the desk and took his seat. "However though we maintain an external peace there are affairs from the inside that one such as yourself could solve. There is a legend in this city of a woman that claims herself the Queen of Thieves. She is no legend though and most probably the closest thing to a ruler that thieves have. She has caused the city much trouble. May I ask of your service to hunt her down?"

[Cirion Derufin]

"Queen of the thieves, eh?", said Cirion while stroking his graying beard; his gray eyes deep in thought. "Very well; I shall find this ruler of the thieves and bring her before your presence. All that I ask is to be pointed in a direction and for some men. I know that I shouldn't have to worry about her, but having backup wouldn't hurt; especially if this person is to be brought to you intact."

Cirion hadn't been on a manhunt for sometime, but it was these things that he always had liked; the thrill of chase and such.

[Asheira]

Asheira looked between the two men and then after being dismissed with only a look to slap her as to her attitude, Asheira walked from the room and lightly closed the door behind her, though, left it a crack, as she stood there for a moment and caught a snippet or two of what her Lord was planning before she walked away, just glad to be out of his presence once again.

Asheira really had no love for her enslaver, he was the cause of her fallen city the cause of the death of her family and her very own enslavement. Asheira would do what he told her, even at times, above and beyond, just to make him believe she was his to control. She knew who they were after, had even talked to the woman herself but she would in no way assist in the destruction of the self appointed queen of Thieves.

She decided to hurry down to the kitchen before she was called back into the room, wishing now that she had not stayed to listen to them talk. Now she was nervous. Did he know she had spoken to the woman? Had he found out at some point in the last few months? These questions flew through her mind as she washed the dishes and stared out the window.

[Rit Megliaf]

"Marie resides in the old sewer system below are city." He took a deep breath in and looked toward the window once more. "Take as many men as you wish from the barracks." His gaze traveled back to the knight and his facial expression making dark. "Maire is said to know everything there is to be known about the sewers. Be sure not to be lured to far into the sewers or you may never come back out."

[Cirion Derufin]

"I shall return with this Marie as soon as possible. And I don't fear the sewers; I have been on far more confusing places than them. Thank you for the men, but now I must take my leave. Until I return, Lord Megliaf.", said Sir Derufin. Bowing, Cirion backed out of his lord's chambers and made for the barracks.