I am no writer. My English is not that good and thoughts chaotical. But this is one of the story I've written for this NES. Hope it's decent enough
Sialei -elder daughter
Hiaof - sworn guard of the Faeoria
Raeli - Hand of the Guard in charge of Faeoria's Mansion
Elagis - Son of Faeoria with military experience and training
Elder male - Father (Title or a rank meaning leader/master) of Unnamed
Faeoria
Elder female - Mother (title/rank) of same Faeoria.
Runner - a title for messenger. Named because runners often run from one place to another bearing important news. Runners are loyal and therefor, well payed.
[The city of Haioudau. Less than 24 hours after successful invasion of Opulensi.]
[A mediocre family of Haioudau. In Family house, the Dining room. ]
A elder female, judging by the clothing she wears a wife of influential family head, to her husband (or perhaps a guardian?): "Father, A runner just returned from our mansion, bearing letter written by our eldest daughter. It was sealed and genuine. She said that despite having to travel quickly and facing some minor issues when avoiding patrols of Opulensi, they successfully managed to get all of our daughters and sons, we sent to mansion, in time. She said that they did see corpses of 3 children and unknown amount of elders from Freisian family, whilst traveling to mansion. They were not sure whatever they were killed by Oplensi soldiers or by the pirate scum. She said that the children had most likely been raped and then killed. She also mentioned that refugees from some of the poorer families had also arrived to the mansion and asked for refuge. She had granted them temporary refuge in exchange of a future favor. "
The Elder male to a young male, probably some distant relative: "Bring me our ledger"
Distant relative: "Yes father, may I ask what are you planning to do, my mother would also like to know whend do you plan to make your move to regain our trade depot and living quarters in southern district. I understand that Opulensi are in charge, but they can't just take our houses and depots without excuse or at least without paying us a symbolic fee, we have committed no crimes against them and have not opposed their armies in any way, unlike so many other Faeorias here."
Elder male: "Are you going to talk me to death. Do I have to get the ledger myself?"
Distant relative: "I'm going sir, but my mothers branch of Faeoria would like a reply from you, after all you are the Father of this Faeoria."
Elder male: "Go and bring me that [swear word] ledger or I'll have you replaced by someone more capable and less talktive. I know what I am and I will respond when I am certain in our next moves."
[after distant relative leaves the room]
Elder Female: "Father, My love, with all due respect, why did you have to be so harsh on the youngster, all he wanted to know was within reason of concern. Opulensi have taken so many businesses and houses from us and other families and His mothers branch of the family has suffered a lot having most of the financial income being forcefully taken from them, we can not leave them without financial support, they are our kin after all. If I may tell you, I feel we should try to negotiate with Opulensi leaders here in town and see if they can maybe give us back our property and businesses or at very least pay her a small compensation, that she'll need for her branch to survive, we can offer to house their food and weapons for free to them in exchange, can we not?"
Elder male: "Why did you think I ordered to bring me the damned ledger? To calculate my next year income and grain prices? Of course we will not abandon our family, even if they are from a distant branch, I may not act rashly. Opulensi have taken all the buildings from Southern districts and imposed insane taxes onto our merchants, without a word or a warning. They have given our buildings to Faeorias which have supported them openly in hopes of gaining loyal friends. Those friends... the traitors who had no money, no honor and pathetic ties to other families.
Most likely is that they will not give us back our holdings, if we can not get back our holdings in town, we need to buy land and a mansion for her branch of the family to live in. But I must first try to see if I can negotiate some ownership rights of the buildings back to us. Maybe we can deal with Opulensi with honor and not lose everything we have in the southern district."
[Later that day, during supper]
Distant cousin: "Father, there's a runner requesting your immediet presence. He says he's from the mansion but he bears no letter, yet he claims that he has a very important message meant only for Father and Mother ears. He does bear the amulet of eldest daughter, but it could be a fake, I am not sure. Shall I tell him to wait until you're done eating or shall I direct him into your private quarters."
Elder Male: "How tired did he look?"
Distant Cousin: "Very tired, Father."
Elder Male: "Direct him to my quarters, I'll receive him immediately. For man to be so tired and still arrive so late in the night, he must bear important news."
[To Faeoria members who he was dining with]
"My brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, excuse me for abandoning you, when we were having such a great meal, but I'll better go receive these news. Have a good meal and don't let our leaving from the table distract you from your discussions. There is future in good relations and many good plans are made behind the dinner table."
[20 minutes later in the private quarters of Faeoria elders]
Obviously still of breath man: "Yes, sir Father, this everything she asked me to tell."
Elder Male(somewhat pale and obviously agitated, yet seemingly calm): "Tell me, how many patrols did you see whilst travelling here and what were their approximate numbers."
Runner: "A few patrols sir Father, 5 or maybe 6 patrols, I am unsure, I avoided them as much as possible. Usually at the crossroads. They were simple to avoid, as they were mostly guarding crossroads or looting nearby mansions and houses. I think there were average 10 to 25 men in a patrol, maybe there were more out of sight, looting other roadside mansions, but I did not see them. I did see a lot of smoke rising all around the road tho. I did hear some of the Opulensi soldiers speak, some of them sounded like they'd be native Fareans, My guess is that they are likely volunteers trying to impress Opulensi and gain riches for their pathetic faeorias."
Elder male: "Tell me what road did she pick to head towards Mirof, before you left her?"
Runner: "She went West, on the road that leads from the Mansion to Heng-Mirof caravan route."
Elder female, whilst crying/sobbing, obviously crying over the news she had just heard screamed in terror: "No, not that road, she will be captured once she hits the trade route, Opulensi control that road."
[She throws herself at her husbands feet whilst screaming and crying at the same time] "You have to send aid, you have to pay them anything, give them whatever they want, no more of our children may be killed by them. They already took our twins, they may not take any more.
Please send her aid. She is our daughter, our eldest daughter, there are other daughters and sons with her. You must not let them die. Father, please send them aid."
Elder male: "Be silent woman. Sialei is not a fool, I thought her well. I assume she will turn away from the trade route and will use side-roads to get to Mirof. She is no fool and she has good guards."
[to runner] "You said Hiaof was with her group, was he not?"
Runner: "I think so father, Hiaof lead the retreat from the mansion and organized group when I left. But I am not sure if he stayed behind to aid Faerun or if he accompanies your sons and daughters to Mirof."
Elder male: "Hiaof is no fool. He is honor sworn to protect my faeoria and he shall do it. He has served me well and I've taken care of him and his family well. Tell me, how many refugees travel within Sialeis refugee group."
Runner: "I think about 10 to 15 higher members from 5 different Faeorias. And at least 30 of their lower members, maybe their sons, maybe just servants, I had no time to make friends with them. Many higher members had horses but servants and youngsters did not."
Elder male: "And all sons and daughters from my Faeoria have horses?"
Runner: "Yes sir, they do. Hiaof made sure that they took the most valuable horses and whatever other valuables from the stables and vault before leaving. I think Raeli was put to be in charge of the footmen group, at least he organized some spears and swords and shared them to lower ranking refugees when I left."
Elder male: "Raeli.. A yes, the guard second-in-command, yes, I don't know much of him, but he seemed like a decent guard and if Hiaof has faith in his skills, so do I. What of the group left behind in mansion, you said my son Elagis lead the defense to buy the time for women folk retreat?"
Runner: "Yes father, after Opulensi traitors murdered and raped both of the twin sisters, may their souls travel well, and started looting and burning the mansion, Elagis used that time to gather up whatever guards he could, including me, from Our Faeoria and from refugees. He gave about half us direct order to stay with the women folk and make sure that they get out safely, whilst he would attempt to attack traitorous Opulensi pigs from behind. He hoped to buy some time for the escape and maybe even take back our mansion and revenge for the twins. I do not know if his plan succeeded or not or even if he carried out the attack, as once I got out of the mansion with Sialei, she gave me a direct order to bring you this news. As no messenger from Raeli has arrived hear yet, I fear the worst."
[Elder woman starts to cry even more loudly]
Elder male to Elder female: "For [swear word] stop whining, we may have lost both of our twins and only spirits know how many more from our family, but we still have survivors - Sialei is out there with our other daughters and she is guarded by Hiaof and Raeli. Both are capable warriors and Hiaof will surely give his life to protect our Faeoria. Sialei will make it to our Mirlof holding and her younger sisters branch of our Faeoria - the pigfarmers branch you so disliked - will shelter her and all the refugees and men she has with her. She will reach to Mirlof holding, she is my daughter and she will not fail, as I've thought her well.
Stop crying, as there is hope that Elagis is also alive, he was always interested in arts of swordsmanship, trained with guards ever since he was a small boy and he had plans to join the military as a ranking officer once he reaches the proper age and has my blessing. You know that he is good with a blade and he beats me at Raki [OOC: a tactical game similar to chess and checkers] very often. He'll make it out of the Mansion and he will survive even behind opulensi lines, as he is our blood and our blood is tough. I am sure he will make murderers who dared to defile my ... our twin daughters ... he will make those pigs pay a very hefty price.
[He pauses for few minutes and silence fills the private quarters. Young runner, bearer of sad news, looks around during that time and is obviously feeling left out and ignored, unsure of what to do or what to say to father of Faeoria, that had just lost 2 of his daughters and maybe more of his family. Whilst elder woman, The mother of that Faeoria calms herself (while still lying down on the floor, at the feet of elder man) and slowly stops crying. She is a mother of entire Faeoria, wife of the leader of Entire family and she has learned to be tough.]
[Few minutes have passed, Elder man kneels down, places his wifes head onto his lap, which, no doubt, helps to calm his wife even more. He looks into her eyes and, when he is convinced that she can think (somewhat) rational again, he whispers to her]
"We need to aid our surviving Faeoria members who are still out there and warn of them of upcoming terror. If Opulensi are out here for looting and laying claims on our land and property, then everyone, every Faeoria needs to be ready to leave within a moments notice and be ready to fight back within minutes. "
[he pauses for a minute]
"The opulensi. We could have payed them taxes and accepted them as our masters, but they have unhonorably taken our lands, plundered our houses and now, they have defiled and murdered our daughters. We have suffered much today. But they will suffer more. As will all those faeorias that have joined their forces with these invaders. I promise you, our daughters, our children, our family and our Faeoria that their unhonorable deeds
shall be avenged. If not by us, then by our children, our faeoria or our kin. We are not slaves for a long time. We are not warmongers. But we shall wage war when it comes to injustice and dishonor. And they have shown no honor, claiming lands that are not theirs and imposing taxes without even mentioning these taxes to us. And now, with death of our daughters. They shall have little mercy from us."
[he pauses again for a minute ]
"I need you to be strong. I need you to lead our family together with me, as this is the only way we can ensure that our children will survive this horrible war. Our Faeoria here requires strong and certain leadership, if you are not strong, then at least seem so, you've done it before and you shall do it again. As Sialei and Elagis will be strong in our Mirof holding. We need to be strong for them to succeed and survive. Do you understand me, my love?"
[Elder woman sits up, whilst not breaking the eye contact and nods, it is obvious that she is still freaked out but she has managed to calm her surprisingly fast]
[Runner still stands on the spot he stood before, when he brought the sad and terrifying news and where answered questions of rational Elder. Rational, even despite terrifying news. A Father of a rich Faeoria. Runner is unsure what to do or what to say, so he just stands there.]
[Elder man in clearer voice directed to both his wive, as well as to the runner]
"We can not aid the dead but we can still help the surviors." [slight pause] "Tell the faeoria downstairs this news. Tell them nothing of Elagis and his attack on Opulensi. There are those amongst us who might tell to much to wrong ears. Tell them to gather all the runners they have and send word to every branch of our family of this. And tell them to do it now, not wait until the morning. Tell them to take their cash and also cash in all the favors in this town. We need funds in Mirof as our sons, daughters and other Faeorian members, should head there, whilst staying clear of main roads. Order those whom can and are willing to fight to leave the city, to take their guards, sons and daughters to our Mirlof holding. I will not let any more of my Faeoria be slain or violated by these pigs."
[slight pause]
"Sialei is no fool and neither is Hiaof. Elagis, should he survive, will also aid them in setting up Mirof mansion and lands for war. These refugees I've heared about will most likely also join our cause. Mirof has a lot of weapons. A lot of trade from pirates went there. A lot of natives will join our forces in hopes of loot and riches. We can fall back there and take back what is ours."
Elder woman, wiping away tears from her face: "Opulensi will most likely reach Mirof soon."
Elder male: "My love, it will take at least a season for Opulensi to reach there, unless they want to be attacked from behind by surviving Faeorias, who hide in the countryside, they risk overstretching and our survived force will make it to Mirof aswell, they have the advantage of contacts, knowledge of terrain and numbers. It will take some time for Opulensi to isolate and secure even this city and if the rumors, that Leunian Empire has joined the war against Opulensi, are indeed true, it'll take them even longer. Our Faeoria will make best use of the time and training grounds to train volunteers from Mirof and refugees from here and will join fight against these traitorous pigs. Many wronged Faeorias will join with us, whilst small Faeorias will join with us in hopes of gaining loot. My sons shall wield a army and all Faeorias of Farea shall gather an army which like Naelsia has never seen before. We will drive out these invaders and any other invader. Naelsia is ours. No one attacks our faeoria. No one takes our land and no one kills my daughters. We will make them pay dearly for what they have taken from us. I promise you this my love."
*to runner*
"I'll dispatch you to Naeglia family next door. Inform them of what has happened and tell them, that I request meeting with them as soon as possible. Then go and get some sleep, I'll need you tomorrow. There is much needed to be done before their forces gain complete control and support of this town."
Runner: "As you command, my father,"
[Runner has already left and elder female begins to exit the room, but she stops at the door, turns around and asks from Faeorian Father - her husband]
"Shall I order servants to pack our things, when will we leave for Mirof?"
Elder male: "You order them to pack your things, I shall not leave this place."
Elder female: "What! Why ? Do you want to wait just to be cut into pieces by these pigs for crimes you have not committed?"
Elder male: " Some of us have to stay, to not attract suspicion, to make sure that Opulensi supporters here do not get too much control and to provide our troops with information and, when the time comes, to open the gates for our armies. I know that I will most likely be killed, but I am the Elder of this Faeoria and I will serve it until the day I die. I have trust in our children and our family. I am old enough to retire and Elagis or Sialei will lead this Faeoria well. But I am not dead yet and my actions will prove useful to our Faeoria and to entire Farea. I want you to go downstairs. Tell the Family, I'll be down shortly to address the situation"
[elder female, before leaving the room]
"Then it is decided, I'll stay here with you, I've sworn to stand by your side and have faced more than 40 years of life together with you. A year or two of suffering in foreign hands can not destroy my happiness of being with you and my memories of giving birth to all of our 8 children. Whatever happens with you, my father, my love, will happen with me too. As did I swear, so shall I live. I'll inform the family now."
[Elder female leaves the room]
Elder male sits, picks up the ledger and starts making notes whilst mumbling: "Feras family has always wanted that stall, if I rent it to them for 30 a month I will have enough to feed whomever decide to stay here. Smith and his faeoria. Smith has shown no love to Opulensi, but his faeoria is poor. If I lower his rent by 100 ... no by 400 from ... I can... yes. He can pay by... Weapons ... youth ... those faeorias has suffered a lot of injustice ..... They have many ... 100 ... a gift .... perhaps ...hmmh... marriage ... I cannot guarantee that... doctor ...food ...pirates .... ... ... poison..."
[Glancing out of the window, elder male notices moon in the night sky, He stares it for several minutes and then stands up. As he stands up he Hits his fist on the table with such a force, that it throws ledger off the table onto floor. He mutters to himself]
"Oh they will pay for what they have done."
[Having mumbled those words, he hears voices coming from downstairs. These voices belong to his family, whom he had eaten dinner with not so long ago. More than 15 voices repeat one phase in one voice, with force. Just like someone would have said toast when rising a glass in celebrations, but now, instead of glasses, fists and knives are risen.]
The toast is simple.
"WE WILL MAKE THEM PAY"
[He picks up the ledger from the floor and leaves the room, carefully closing the door behind him and heads downstairs, to inform the family and to plan the future]
One thing is sure.
Farea will not surrender without a fight.