Dusk dawned on the Britain crossroads as Lord Ser Brightblade gave Galam a tour of his cousin's Safehaven Inn and Tavern. The mood was flippant as Ser Brightblade told of how the inn would work in tandem with Dove of Yew's Community Center to teach the young and give them a safe place to stay. The two worked their way around the building with Galam commenting upon the unusual placement of torches just outside the large iron doors. This would have been a normal day in Britania had it not been for the strange gate that was to appear before the guildmates.
That's odd, thought Ser Brightblade as he peered at the unusual gate just outside the inn. He and Galam, who watched the gate intently, could never have guessed that this uninvited visitor would be more than the common traveller and the expressions that they wore were understandably ones of surprise as they saw who stepped through the gate.
Ominously black and hollow the traveler's eyes peirced them to the bone as he motioned for them to stop their talking so that he could say his words of immenent doom. He came upon Ser Brightblade and spoke of the lord's deceptions and betrayal towards him. Ventryn spoke of Ser Brightblade's attempts at spying on him and Ser Brightblade knew he had words of his own to speak in response to these accusations.
"The betrayal was yours, Ventryn", he replied with a sense of truth that made even Ventryn's mouth sour. The Dark Lich's eyes narrowed at this and he threw out his own retort.
"Be careful what you bring to this inn, Brightblade", Vetryn's narrowed eyes seered Ser Brightblade's mind as they seemed to look through him to his soul. Ser Brightblade thought to earlier when his good friends Gorion and Greg had brought Pythos to the inn, and with that he felt the hair on his neck stand on end. "Yes," remarked Ventryn before he had time to speak," I always watch ye." The two for a moment locked gazes with one another, each deciding what to do next but the moment passed and the Dark Lich spoke again.
"Why have thee rejoined the fight after all these months, Ser Brightblade?", his voice seethed with contempt for the man," Was it fame? Glory?", The Dark Lich once again narrowed his eyes, "Tell me, what was it?"
Ser Brightblade's jaw flexed as he took the devil's words in. "Knowledge, Ventryn, knowledge", he began with renewed confidence,"The same reason I came to thee months ago. That and the ability to impart that knowledge to others once learned."
The Dark Lich glared at him with that response and turned to speak again. "Stop this," he said in reference to the defense of Winterfell, "I will crush you." A slight growl escaped Ventryn as he spoke adding to the air of darkness that worked its way around and most possibly through the Dark Lich's presence.
Ser Brightblade gritted his teeth and raised his hand to point to the inn's sign. "This is the Safehaven Inn, Ventryn. All are welcome, including thee, but if ever you are to harm any young, the Praetorian Guard of Honor will smite you down." His voice carried with it a sense of dignity and nobility that any other man would have had a difficult time maintaining in the face of one so wicked.
"The innocent shall be left untouched. Let them reside here, I will not harm them... just as I will not harm the Purple Guardians of Honor if thee were to give me the same gift in Winterfell...", his words trailed off as if awaiting a reply. Suddenly the area was filled with a jovial tone of hardy laughter. Ser Brightblade had seen this offer as insane and treated it as such. His only reply the deriding laughter that he sent Ventryn's way. " Listen now, Brightblade, and listen well," he remarked demandingly, "In the days to come I will accomplish much!" This time the sour truth gave Ser Brightblade cause to pause.
"Aye", he replied in his once again noble fashion, "And we will be there to stop you!" His knight played in this chess game of threats, Ser Brightblade bode the Dark Lich to speak again.
As quickly as an adder's tounge, the Dark Lich spat another intimidating threat meant to scare the man out of calling arms to defend Winterfell. "I know your homes!", he seized as Galam watched on in apparent silence, taking in every word and noting them with care.
" I know", Ser Brightblade said in a somber tone and once again the truth's sourness reached his mouth. This was Ventryn's turn to laugh as he saw that Ser Brightblade was finally realizing his power. It took a solid minute for Ser Brightblade to regroup his thoughts after the nauseating visions of attacks on his friends' homes shot through his mind. "When you are ready to speak of peace, Ventryn, there will be a table here for you on this inn's first floor where papers could be signed...." He had spoke with words that were tired of this deadlocked chess match but they were cut off by the sound of the Dark Lich's repeated laugh.
Ventryn was done talking as well. He had played his hand at deplomacy and had returned with nothing gained. As Galam and Ser Brightblade looked on he pounded his chest and with a wave of his arms he was gone. "Nemo me impune lacessat", Ser Brightblade cared little whether or not the Dark Lich heard his words for he knew that soon enough it would be the last Ventryn would ever hear.
- Ser Brightblade
