That's a paranoia worthy of Mean Old Uncle Joe. I've got the feeling this is the last we'll see of Annelies.
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That was...interesting. Great twist, I wonder what effect this madness will have on the future.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who voted for this in the awards! Such a shock...after 50 bajillion half-started stories, this (and The Dumb-As-Rocks Girl...) earns my first nominations!
So, thanks again!
Apologies for the sketchiness on recent updates. I am in the midst of deploying...but I'm going to be stuck at an airport for over 24 hours tomorrow...so there should be plenty of time for catching up. ;c)
Thanks once again (again)!
So, thanks again!
Apologies for the sketchiness on recent updates. I am in the midst of deploying...but I'm going to be stuck at an airport for over 24 hours tomorrow...so there should be plenty of time for catching up. ;c)
Thanks once again (again)!
Fall, 1068 - Northern France
Count Baldwin was lost.
Not lost in the literal sense, of course...he was sitting on his throne, which was located in the very spot it had been during his father's rule, and HIS father's rule, and, presumably, the father before that as well.
He was lost in the figurative.
He had wanted guidance...guidance that he believed (no...knew!) had come in the form of the butterfly...but the extent of that guidance was limited to warning that his beloved wife was planning to "kill them all." Now that situation was taken care of...Annelies had been in her dungeon cell for over a year, and nobody appeared to have been killed in that time. It was under control. Handled.
And yet...what now?
He was thankful for the butterfly's warning, of course...no doubt sent from his late father and/or God Himself...but there had been two unfortunate consequences of the butterfly's appearance.
1) He could trust no one. If his own wife would betray him, how could he trust anyone...save his one true brother Reinel, who had seen the butterfly as well. But even though he did trust Reinel...
2) Nobody trusted him. Even dear brother Reinel, who remained true, still occasionally had a weary look in his eyes. They all thought he was mad.
With no one he could trust, and nobody trusting him, his hold on the throne was precarious at best.
He needed a new vision.
These were his thoughts when brother Reinel...now the marshal of his armies, with that traitor William gone...passed by, drilling the newest of his troops.
One by one, the soldiers marched passed...when something caught Baldwin's eye.
There was a man amongst the ranks, who had been scorched to his very skin. What sort of man was this, with skin the color of night? What sin had he commited, that his punishment was that his entire body be burned?
And more importantly...why the devil had Reinel given such a sinner a place within the county's army?
"Reinel!"
"Yes, brother?"
"That soldier...the one darker than his shadow...what sort of man is this?"
"He comes from Africa, brother."
"Africa?"
"Yes, brother. In Africa, many people look just like he."
"Have you ever seen another?"
"No, brother. But I have heard stories. They are supposed to be fierce warriors. Certainly, this one is."
"But...is he a Muslim, then? I thought Africans were Muslims."
"No, brother. I have seen him act as a good Christian man."
"Well, then. I wish to speak to this man. To hear what things he has to say of Africa."
"I'm afraid that's impossible, brother."
"Impossible, you say?"
"Yes, brother. You see, he doesn't speak a word of French."
"Latin, then."
"Nor latin, I'm afraid."
"No French and no Latin? Then how can you possibly communicate with him?"
"He appears to speak English, brother. Some words are close enough that his meaning can be understood."
"Well, bring him here then, and let us hear this English."
Reinel, baffled by his brother's interest, fetched the soldier and brought him over.
"Do you understand me?"
"Yes, m'Lord. Some."
"And you know who I am?"
"Of course, m'Lord."
"I understand you come from Africa."
"Yes, m'Lord."
"I suppose you have a name."
"Silvester, m'Lord."
"Silvester? Hmm. I'd heard that people from Africa had stranger names than Silvester."
"Well, m'Lord...that's my European name."
"Your..."
"Where I come from, m'Lord...they call me Juvenal Quentis."
Count Baldwin was lost.
Not lost in the literal sense, of course...he was sitting on his throne, which was located in the very spot it had been during his father's rule, and HIS father's rule, and, presumably, the father before that as well.
He was lost in the figurative.
He had wanted guidance...guidance that he believed (no...knew!) had come in the form of the butterfly...but the extent of that guidance was limited to warning that his beloved wife was planning to "kill them all." Now that situation was taken care of...Annelies had been in her dungeon cell for over a year, and nobody appeared to have been killed in that time. It was under control. Handled.
And yet...what now?
He was thankful for the butterfly's warning, of course...no doubt sent from his late father and/or God Himself...but there had been two unfortunate consequences of the butterfly's appearance.
1) He could trust no one. If his own wife would betray him, how could he trust anyone...save his one true brother Reinel, who had seen the butterfly as well. But even though he did trust Reinel...
2) Nobody trusted him. Even dear brother Reinel, who remained true, still occasionally had a weary look in his eyes. They all thought he was mad.
With no one he could trust, and nobody trusting him, his hold on the throne was precarious at best.
He needed a new vision.
These were his thoughts when brother Reinel...now the marshal of his armies, with that traitor William gone...passed by, drilling the newest of his troops.
One by one, the soldiers marched passed...when something caught Baldwin's eye.
There was a man amongst the ranks, who had been scorched to his very skin. What sort of man was this, with skin the color of night? What sin had he commited, that his punishment was that his entire body be burned?
And more importantly...why the devil had Reinel given such a sinner a place within the county's army?
"Reinel!"
"Yes, brother?"
"That soldier...the one darker than his shadow...what sort of man is this?"
"He comes from Africa, brother."
"Africa?"
"Yes, brother. In Africa, many people look just like he."
"Have you ever seen another?"
"No, brother. But I have heard stories. They are supposed to be fierce warriors. Certainly, this one is."
"But...is he a Muslim, then? I thought Africans were Muslims."
"No, brother. I have seen him act as a good Christian man."
"Well, then. I wish to speak to this man. To hear what things he has to say of Africa."
"I'm afraid that's impossible, brother."
"Impossible, you say?"
"Yes, brother. You see, he doesn't speak a word of French."
"Latin, then."
"Nor latin, I'm afraid."
"No French and no Latin? Then how can you possibly communicate with him?"
"He appears to speak English, brother. Some words are close enough that his meaning can be understood."
"Well, bring him here then, and let us hear this English."
Reinel, baffled by his brother's interest, fetched the soldier and brought him over.
"Do you understand me?"
"Yes, m'Lord. Some."
"And you know who I am?"
"Of course, m'Lord."
"I understand you come from Africa."
"Yes, m'Lord."
"I suppose you have a name."
"Silvester, m'Lord."
"Silvester? Hmm. I'd heard that people from Africa had stranger names than Silvester."
"Well, m'Lord...that's my European name."
"Your..."
"Where I come from, m'Lord...they call me Juvenal Quentis."
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Odd... who is tis black man?
He seems to exist at least, which is good for poor count.
He seems to exist at least, which is good for poor count.
...oh good lord, they've found Juvenal Quintus. 
Given that he knows what rouble his invention can cause for history, I assume he is as careful as possible not to upset the historical continuum. But then again, there needs to be a story as well.
Given that he knows what rouble his invention can cause for history, I assume he is as careful as possible not to upset the historical continuum. But then again, there needs to be a story as well.
@Enewald: My friend, you have missed the cliffhanger! Juvenal Quentis was one of the lead engineers for the Butterfly Device, before butterflies were a part of it. He insisted on trying the device himself to ensure it's safety...only to discover it wasn't safe, trapping him in the past with no way to return.
@Snugglie and Qorten: Hehe...Juvenal has two motives right now...but neither one of them are "hide and do nothing that might cause a problem."
Juvenal Quentis was one of the lead engineers for the Butterfly Device, before butterflies were a part of it. He insisted on trying the device himself to ensure it's safety...only to discover it wasn't safe, trapping him in the past with no way to return. @Snugglie and Qorten: Hehe...Juvenal has two motives right now...but neither one of them are "hide and do nothing that might cause a problem."
Actinguy said:@Enewald: My friend, you have missed the cliffhanger!
Haaaaaaa-aaaa!
Now I got.
You don't know how many aars I am reading so I can't not remember what happens each aar. :wacko:
Wow...just wow.
I followed your inkwell advertisement and am immediately hooked. Excellent handling of his wife I must say, though I am still trying to figure out whether the butterfly device is responsible for his 'madness' or whether its appearance merely precipitated an already unstable mentality.
You made me look up Baldwin I of Guines on wikipedia to see if his wife did actually 'kill them all'...no such luck on that kind of information...but his children have an interesting life I must say. I also learned where Guines was (key to those of us who don't have CK) so now I'm ready to buckle in for the ride.
Keep it up! And stay safe on deployment...
TheExecuter
I followed your inkwell advertisement and am immediately hooked. Excellent handling of his wife I must say, though I am still trying to figure out whether the butterfly device is responsible for his 'madness' or whether its appearance merely precipitated an already unstable mentality.
You made me look up Baldwin I of Guines on wikipedia to see if his wife did actually 'kill them all'...no such luck on that kind of information...but his children have an interesting life I must say. I also learned where Guines was (key to those of us who don't have CK) so now I'm ready to buckle in for the ride.
Keep it up! And stay safe on deployment...
TheExecuter
Fall, 1068 - Northern France
"And what brings a man all the way from Africa to the northern tip of France, Juvenal?"
"Well, m'Lord...I felt it was my calling."
"Your calling?"
"I felt it was my destiny, m'Lord, to come to France."
"For what purpose?"
"Why...to see you, m'Lord."
Baldwin was taken aback. To see him? How could some man in Africa have even heard of him?
"...me?"
"Well...not originally. I was just wandering along, and I happened to be near Flanders, when I happened to meet a man by the name of Christian of Troyes. He was a writer, the...uh...patron of the count of Flanders, and when I met him, he happened to be writing a new romance."
"I don't see..."
"If I may, m'Lord...he showed me what he has written so far. It's about a man, searching for the Cup of Christ. The very cup used during the Last Supper. They say it can grant immortality to those who drink from it."
"Yes, yes. I've heard of this Cup of Christ. This grail. It simply doesn't exist."
"I believe it does, m'Lord. I looked at Christian's work. He suggests the grail was moved from Jerusalem to France and then possibly even to England...but I looked at his sources. And I think it's a ruse."
"A ruse."
"Yes, m'Lord. I think it was a trick to keep the Grail hidden from enemies. I believe the Grail is still hidden somewhere in the city of Jerusalem."
"And I suppose you believe it is your destiny to find it."
"No, m'Lord. I believe it is yours."
"Mine? What could possibly make you think that I have any interest in searching for this make-believe cup?"
"Because, m'Lord...a little butterfly told me."
"And what brings a man all the way from Africa to the northern tip of France, Juvenal?"
"Well, m'Lord...I felt it was my calling."
"Your calling?"
"I felt it was my destiny, m'Lord, to come to France."
"For what purpose?"
"Why...to see you, m'Lord."
Baldwin was taken aback. To see him? How could some man in Africa have even heard of him?
"...me?"
"Well...not originally. I was just wandering along, and I happened to be near Flanders, when I happened to meet a man by the name of Christian of Troyes. He was a writer, the...uh...patron of the count of Flanders, and when I met him, he happened to be writing a new romance."
"I don't see..."
"If I may, m'Lord...he showed me what he has written so far. It's about a man, searching for the Cup of Christ. The very cup used during the Last Supper. They say it can grant immortality to those who drink from it."
"Yes, yes. I've heard of this Cup of Christ. This grail. It simply doesn't exist."
"I believe it does, m'Lord. I looked at Christian's work. He suggests the grail was moved from Jerusalem to France and then possibly even to England...but I looked at his sources. And I think it's a ruse."
"A ruse."
"Yes, m'Lord. I think it was a trick to keep the Grail hidden from enemies. I believe the Grail is still hidden somewhere in the city of Jerusalem."
"And I suppose you believe it is your destiny to find it."
"No, m'Lord. I believe it is yours."
"Mine? What could possibly make you think that I have any interest in searching for this make-believe cup?"
"Because, m'Lord...a little butterfly told me."
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Actinguy said:
I normally glaze over when I see graphicless text, but this passage is done quite well. It has natural language, a quick flow, and two clever turns. The last turn especially delighted me. Bravo, sir.
Very good, the two last updates. Your writing skill is excellent, it captures me immediatly and it is very interesting!
Bravo!
Bravo!
Yes! The butterfly is back. Is it mechanical?
You can ignore that question Nice update and I especially liked that there was so little time between them.
You can ignore that question
Nice update and I especially liked that there was so little time between them.