The palace of Ragnar and Caden

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

The sky was bleak and the surrounding area uneventful, surprising considering a coup d'etat had just occurred over the past few days. There were skeletons scattered on the outside, though few as they were, they were left out of contempt of the loyalists.

Inside the palace though, it was warm. All remnants of death were removed, and it looked as though the inhabitants had been there for countless years; well one of them has.

The two individuals were lying in their bed, they had a long night arguing, and dawn had already broken and they were still asleep. The throne room was empty, for the courtiers only come when the lord is there. But he was still asleep, cuddling his wife who laid beside him. Though for some simple reason or other, Ragnar woke up. He looked over at his wife sleeping, in his mind he thought Wow she's beautiful. He was going to wake her, but then remembered that to intentionally wake anybeast that was sleeping would be like bringing hell to yourself.

He simply slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb his wife. Though it was too late, she felt the warmth of his body leave and a sudden chill brushed across her back. She turned to look at him, as he was putting on his tunic and said, "My we slept late. You had better get to the throne room, or the foxes will do the same thing to you, what happened to my father. I'll join you in a few hours."

She yawned, and moved around in the bed to get comfortable and Ragnar moved over and draped the covers over her more. Then after preparing himself, he opened the doors to his chamber and went down the stairs which led directly to the throne room.

The torches there were already lit, and it was bright. Though there was no one in there save for a few palace workers who quickly went to the bell room to let them know the king's court had been opened.
The bells chimed throughout the city, any and all who had problems anxiously awaited the sound, and lo and behold they heard it. All the while, Ragnar had gotten himself set up in his throne ready to deal with any complaints from the dwellers outside the palace. Though it would depend on how they asked which would determine if things were changed, or the beast would be taken away and butchered.

[blackfox7]

An ermine in a white silk shirt and a black vest strolled jauntily up to the front of a huge fortress. He paused to lean back and take in the entire size of the building, completely awed by the military might of the encampment. A chime sounded loudly nearby, jolting the spunky ermine almost out of his fur. He glared momentarily at the grey rat that had rung the chime, then noticed that the massive main doors were opening. Striding over to it curiously, he noticed a small crowd starting to approach, but being held back by arctic fox guards.

The guards were too busy to notice the ermine slipping into the doors and trotting jauntily down the long hall. He couldn't help himself: he burst out into a strange ditty.

"Trappin' rays of sun won't do,
Nor grabbin' air; that comes unglued.
But if'n there's somethin' I kin do
I'll do et all fer you!"

The singing beast came to a screeching halt when he entered a smaller door and entered a cathedral-like chamber. A formidable wildcat was seated in a throne at the end. Remembering his manners, the ermine approached apprehensively and sank to one knee in the presense of the wildcat, who was obviously a Warlord. He could feel the sweat running down his neck...

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

"And who might you be?" Spoke Ragnar. This Ermine had entered into the building without being accompanied by guards, and so he must have sneaked in. Standing up from his chair, he walked over to the obviously fear stricken beast. Being one to notice it, Ragnar laughed and then said.

"You have good reason to be afraid boy. Entering in here unannounced, not to mention you crept into my great hall like a thief. You had best have a good reason so that I would stay my hand from my blade."

[blackfox7]

Skreeb tried to remember the proper way to address a Warlord, but the fear made words stick in his throat. Finally he mustered his name; "S-Skreeb Sunsong,"he said,"Wanderin' bard and, eh, songster an' whatnot..." The ermine hoped he did not sound pathetic, but the words were starting to flow now that he got in the habit of speaking. "An' mah reasonin' for comin' in 'ere's no' more than curiousity, Laird. But I go' plenny o' reasons for ye t' no' slay me." Skreeb tried his best at a grin, hoping that the wildcat was in a good mood.

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

"A bard you say? Can ye sing and entertain well? If you can... and I'll be the judge of that, I just might... Well nevermind"

He took his paw off his hilt. Today was not time for slaying beasts this early in the morning. Not to mention Ragnar liked his spunk. To stand up to a wildcat warlord took bravery. It was foolish, but brave none the less. Turning around and making his way back to his throne he said, "Follow me, go to one of the rooms behind the throne and wait. Then you can tell me the reasons why I should not slay you. Or ye can leave, but then you'll only be caught by my guards, and that wouldn't be very good now would it?"

[blackfox7]

Skreeb stopped shivering and blinked. Did the wildcat just spare him? The ermine ran through it all in his brain again; yes, this fierce-looking Warlord had spared a lowly bard, something surprising in the Lands of Ice... But Skreeb bounced back from things like this--he wasn't one to pay mind to fine detail.

Except when it came to music.

"Thank ye kindly laddie bu--uh, Laird," Skrreb made himself sheepishly smaller when he goofed on the wildcat's title, "I won't let ye down; ye'll see!", Skreeb displayed all of his pearly white fangs in a cheery grin and backed respectfully into the open doorway of one of the portals the Warlord had mentioned. Once out of sight of the wildcat he broke into an excited hopping dance, chanting:

"Yes Yes Yes!
I did it!
Yes Yes Yes!
I'm through!!"

He then broke into a gigglefit that forced him to roll on the floor until he regained control of himself.

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

Well it looks as though he's fallen for it. Should I let him live though? I have no care for singing and dancing. they went through his mind, though now the villagers came in one by one asking for help with their troubles. Some of them were genuine, and they were given what was needed. Others had told an outright lie... Their fate, well they were taken away and executed. Their flesh being given to the troops for a feast. Once each of the problems had been finished, about a few hours being taken up, Caden came down from the bedroom and proceeded to the throne to the right of Ragnar's. She whispered over to him, "Has anything interesting happened today my dear?"

Ragnar shook his head, "No, just the usual drivel who usually come along. Oh wait... there was this Ermine who stole into the palace today... He's in that room over there."

Caden stepped lightly out of her throne and said "An ermine eh? May I have a look at him?"
Ragnar laughed and said, "If it pleases you my dear, go right ahead."

So picking up her skirt, Caden made her way towards the room that her husband had pointed to and opened the door. Looking in, she saw him there. He looked excited, well at least to her he did. Closing the door behind her she said in an angry tone.

"Who do you think you are that you can sneak into my palace like that? My husband may have dealt nicely with you, for he admired your bravery. But I think you're foolish. I have a task for you to do. If you fail... Well lets just say that you won't be able to sing or dance anymore."

[blackfox7]

Skreeb had been thouroughly pleased with himself, until the female wildcat had come in. At the sound of her angry words he flinched and made himself smaller.

"F-Forgive me M'Lady, et was nae fault of anyone's but me! I'll do whatever ye ask!" The ermine felt quite threatened; not having the ability to sing and dance was worse than death for him.

But then he realized how such a handicap would come about: Ooooh... She's gonna kill me!

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

"I want you to give us some entertainment at tonight's feast. I would explain more as to what I'm going to do if you don't make me laugh, but then that would ruin all the fun of watching you trying to tread carefully."

Then turning around she opened the door and was about to walk out. Though she looked back and said, "The feast will start this evening. You may only stay in this room to prepare, or whatever it is you do. Someone will get you when we feel the need for you to amuse us."

Then exiting the room, she closed the door behind her and bolted it. She wasn't going to have him try to escape, and since there were no windows and the only door to the room was locked, there would be no chance of him escaping. Though Caden was only toying with the ermine, and when she got back to the throne she laughed. Ragnar turning to her said, "What is so funny?"

Holding her belly, Caden smiled and said, "Oh that ermine in there is afraid. Think's I'm going to have him killed. I wouldn't do that... Not on the night of the feast, what would our ancestors think? I'll kill him tomorrow."

[blackfox7]

The young ermine was stunned for a moment, then he shook his head in his hands to clear the fog of unreality. There was no way around it; he was going to be killed! Unless.. he could escape...

Skreeb tested the door's strength and fell to the floor exhausted. It had been bolted tight, and as he peered around he saw that there were no windows or air ducts he could escape through. The normally sunny-dispositioned ermine sank to the floor with a sigh. He well and truely felt doomed...

Closing his eyes he let the gift of his ancestors come back to him. First as a tiny hum in his mind, then eventually into tunes and words that spilled unbidden from his lips:

"Where did ye come from and where are ye goin'?
my lonesome heart needs tae be knowin'...
When you went t' fight for th' causes unknown
Ye left me afraid an' alone...

"I looked for ye high an' I looked for ye low,
My lonesome heart still needs tae know...
But in every beast's lifetime there comes a day
when all horrors an' fear drift away...

"In mortal springtide or even deep snow,
my lonesome heart still aches tae know
why you went for tae throw ye life tae death,
I'll search 'til my very last breath..."

Skreeb looked up. Music was his life, no, music was his soul. He wasn't going to let that go without a fight.

Er, rather, a show.

The ermine immediately went to work on a new composition, humming random stretches of tunes and strumming chords on his prized mandolin.

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

A few hours passed, and the feast was all set up. It was to commemorate the victory they had just previously had. Inspecting everything, Ragnar thought about what Caden had said What would our ancestors think? Well they sure wouldn't think much of them anyways. They had just killed the former warlord of the castle. And regicide was never a good thing, but then they were justified because Caden's father was weak and unfit to rule...

Though now the chimes had been struck. The feast was about to begin, as all of the flesh and drinks were set out before all of the beasts. They were all ravenous, waiting to have their fill. Slowly making his way to the head table, right beside his wife, he noticed her nod to a white fox. No doubt to go get the bard who was locked away. If he could give proper entertainment... He might have a place in the castle. If he was disliked though, well he would probably keep his life, but he would be missing a few things.

So the fox made her way to the waiting room, and unbolted the door. Her hand on the sabre at her side. Peering in, she said to Skreeb. "Ermine, you're wanted. Get your stuff quickly. If you make Lady Caden wait, it will be the last thing you'll ever do."

[blackfox7]

Skreeb jumped up, ready and willing to debut the song he'd spent the past hours working on. He picked up his mandolin and cherrywood pick that went with it. That and his fine voice was all that was needed.

The excited ermine followed the fox almost step for step to the hall where he would be performing. Skreeb felt that 'good nervousness' that many entertainers often felt before a show, and he felt all the better for it; it helped him to not focus on the consequences of messing up. Holding his mandolin in a playing position, he awaited the wildcats' command for him to start.

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

William raised his paw, ordering all of the ermine and fox troops to stop eating for the moment. Standing from his chair, he saw Skreeb the ermine being lead in by one of Caden's captains. he then began his speech.

"My warriors! Eat and drink your fill. For tomorrow we shall set out on a quest. Good omens have been reported, and we will make our names forever go down in history! They will speak of the speed in which we attack, the ruthlessness of all our fighters, and above all, they will fear our names! Here is some entertainment for you. Relax and leave all of the cares you have at the door tonight."

Then looking at Skreeb, who was now brought to the centre of where all the tables were set up. Speaking to him, he said "Bard, you may begin now. Do well, and you will make yourself useful."

[blackfox7]

With an eager grin, Skreeb set his mandolin ready to play and called out happily to the ermine and foxes gathered:

"'Arken, mates; how many o' you've heard this 'un?!" Not giving them a chance to respond, he began strumming a jaunty tune on his instrument, like something between a sailor's shanty and a river otter's ditty. When an appropriate length of introduction had passed the ermine sung out in his best voice:

"A deputy hare an' a big rat cheif
were blown out on the trail,
poisoned in the bushes--
and pelted by the hail!
They tried imagining a place
where it was always safe and warm--
'come in', she said,'I'll give ye
shelter from the storm.'

"Not a word was spoke 'atween 'em,
there was little risk involved.
Both were damp as autumn leaves--
wretched as a dog.
Yet they found a place
that was always safe and warm--
'come in', she said,'I'll give ye
shelter from the storm'

"That haremaid drove 'em crazy;
they walked without a care!
She came with silver bracelets
and flowers in 'er hair.
Yet she offered them a place
that was always safe and warm--
'come in', she said,'I'll give ye
shelter from the storm.'

"Now the deputy walks on high rocks
and keeps an eye out for the shore.
The big rat went back to 'is mates
to look for somethin' more.
yet they remember a place
where it was always safe and warm--
'come in', she said,'I'll give ye
shelter from the storm.'"

Skreeb ended the song with a melodious chord, confident that his first number was more than enough for the wildcats' pleasure.

[Ragnar Lodbrock]

Having filled his tankard many times with ale while the song was being done, Ragnar was now in a cheery mood. Laughing at the song he said,

"Well have you got any more? Don't just stand there! Play some more!"

Caden simply turned to look at her husband, and then shook her head at his foolishness. Though she chuckled a bit at him being drunk. He was never one to have much ale, and it was only when he was having a real good time that he even got a little tipsy. But he was quite drunk, with an outburst like that. He must really have enjoyed the song.

Meanwhile all of the ermine and foxes, while the song was being sung, kept silent. Not a sound could be heard, and then as soon as it was finished... Roars of applause came from them, cheering for more. This bard, sneaky though he was, sure had some voice.