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Treason	By : Dagian Category: +G through L > Lineage 2 Views: 832 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I own nothing, NCSoft regrettably does, I make no profit off of this story that is based on Lineage2.

Chapter List
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**Installment 13**

Caellia sat inside the castles farthest inner recess with her guards and Kattath. She paced about the small room she was in, trying not to get too close to her guards. There were five of them and Kattath made six. They were all heavily armored dark elves. One of them, the head guard Caellia assumed, wore a deep red and black set of heavy looking armor. He also had a red and black shield and a heavy looking grey sword with swirling designs running down the length of the double edged blade. Several others wore a dark green set of heavy armor with a golden cross design on the breastplate with varying weapons that ranged from a nasty looking set of deeply serrated duel swords that smoothed out to a deadly sharp edge midway down the blades, to a longer, more slender sword with golden cross guards.

She continued her pacing even though she had not slept the entire night. She had stayed awake even though the guards took turns sleeping so that they stayed battle ready. A slight frown from the red armored elf caught her attention. He seemed to be facing one wall and concentrating hard. She stopped pacing and looked at the wall, was it her eyes playing tricks on her, or was it shaking slightly? She carefully watched the elf as he began to swiftly wake those that were sleeping and spoke to them in their own tongue, a very rare thing for anyone outside the dark elven race to hear, for they were highly secretive of their own language. While most races now taught their children to be able to speak multiple languages the dark elves had not shared their language with outsiders. All talk stopped however when a loud sound reverberated throughout the castle and all of the walls began to shudder violently.

*****

Goryn watched the massive constructs before him pound the walls and gates of the castle relentlessly as each was skillfully controlled by a dwarf. The dwarves called these machines ‘siege golems’, and insisted they could bring the walls of any castle down within mere hours. The risk to the dwarves was extremely high however as they had to be near the golems to control them, putting them in dangers way. Goryn had to pull a significant amount of his attack forces and healers off the main attack units to help guard the dwarven war smiths.

He both watched and defended the war smiths for several long hours as the machines did their work before he heard the sound of the wooden gates splintering before falling away altogether. They battled their way past the archers just inside the gates of the fortress and soon entered the main courtyard. A volley of magical spells crashed into his troops with considerable force and all was a mass of confusion. Twice he’d almost been caught in friendly fire as the archers tried to determine ally from enemy. His neck hairs stood on end as a human sorcerer cast a whirling blaze of fire into a dark elven archer a scant few feet from him.

To his right, a furious battle was being waged between a light elven temple knight and an orc. The dust of the magic stones placed in the sword blades to make them stronger, swirled around and lightly covered him with white and pink dust as they exploded on impact in a blindingly colorful display. Just ahead of him two archers were locked in combat together against a dark elven caster, their bows flashing brilliantly as the magic stones were swiftly applied to the arrows. The silver ranger went down as he was overcome by the devastating wind attacks of the spell howler. The hawk eye retaliated with deadly precision and brought down the caster. Immediately to his rear he could hear the sounds of a spell singer summoning a water column to send splashing at a nearby orc. Goryn took all of this information in as he ran swiftly into the interior of the castle followed closely by a paladin and a dark avenger with his battle cat. The fight to find Caellia was now in full swing as they raged through the castle. They were soon joined by several light elven fighters, plains walkers they called themselves. They quickly slew anything in their path, their daggers flashing dangerously.

*****

Caellia watched as her guards became even tenser than before. Several hours had passed since the wall shuddering pounding had begun and ended. The sounds of battle were beginning to wane and the castle was becoming silent. They stood in silence for long minutes until an axe splintered the wooden door. Her guards stood ready as again and again the axe fell on the door. Caellia could hold back no longer, “Goryn!” she cried.

“Caellia!” He called back in relief. He redoubled his efforts to break the door down as the others joined in. With a loud earsplitting crash the door finally gave way.

Caellia could do nothing but stay out of the way as Goryn’s men and the dark elven guards battled one another. The battle did not last long however and the guards were quickly dispatched leaving only herself and Kattath. Goryn’s eyes slid over to the dark elven female, “Do you yield servant of Shillien?”

Kattath weighed her options before replying quietly, “I yield.” She swore softly to herself, she would find out who had bungled the defense of the castle and they would pay dearly. Her features tightened as she thought darkly to herself as one suspect popped into her head, Naldorl.

Goryn dropped his weapon as Caellia rushed to him sobbing in relief. “Goryn! Thank Eva you’re alive!” She allowed him to pull her into his arms and comfort her as the rest of the rescue party gave them some privacy.

After a few minutes, a dark avenger spoke in a heavy baritone voice “Goryn we’ve found the sword singer Einao.”

“Bring that traitorous filth here.” Goryn growled lowly. He then looked at Caellia and said softly, “What will you have me do with him?” Although he’d love nothing better than to run the traitorous elf through with a sword, he would ask her first. He stood motionless as he watched her eyes flicker with emotional pain and distress.

She shuddered in his arms as she thought back to Einao’s treachery. He had been banished, but was that enough? She was tired and confused and looked to Goryn, “I don’t know, what should I do?” she pleaded with him to help her find the right answer.

Goryn looked down at her, she was still so young. She was trying desperately to do the right things for the right reasons. He knew she had been taught to lead her people, but there were no clear cut answers for any leader and she was just beginning to learn the harsh realities of leadership. Leading was not something one could simply be taught. Plainly put, she had been thrust into a position and was now stumbling under the immense pressures that position came with. He sighed, “Caellia, I can’t tell you what to do with him. I can give you suggestions, but ultimately the choice must be yours and yours alone.”

“I don’t want to make that choice. I’ve never had to make that choice! Goryn I’m not ready for this!” Caellia broke down in sobs, the stress and weariness taking over. For the first time Kattath spoke up quietly.

“King Goryn, “she began as she knelt before him, “I believe that Caellia needs to rest. She has had no sleep over the past day and a half.” She stayed in her position with her head bowed low and waited for his response.

Goryn stared at the woman for brief moment before looking at Caellia, “Do you wish to rest before facing Einao?”

Caellia calmed herself and thought long and hard before responding, “No, I must learn to do this on my own.” She gently pulled away from Goryn as her sensitive ears caught the sounds of a person being forcefully dragged toward her location. She pulled herself to her full height and stood proudly, ready to prove, if only to herself, that she could do this.

Goryn looked at her with pride and love in his heart, as she took a few steps away from him and stared in the direction of the door. She had once again resumed the aura of a strong willed warrior, ready to face any challenge. He knew that she was hurting on the inside, but she had taken the first step in truly learning how to lead. She had put aside her own hurt and was thinking of her people first. She would make a good queen for both their peoples. He looked to the dark elven woman who was still kneeling on the floor, “Get up and stay silent.” He watched as she did as she was told, at least the woman had sense. If she kept that sense he’d spare her life. He swung back to face the door as Einao was shoved through.

Einao grunted in pain as he landed painfully on his right side on the stone floor of the room. He started to pick himself up but stopped as the rumbling growl from the black armored feline warned him that it would be in his best interest to stay down. He looked through his short, dirty hair at a pair of slender green boots a few steps in front of him. The cat growled ominously again before it was called back to its master as Caellia began to speak.

“Stand up Einao.” Caellia struggled to keep her face and eyes emotionless as he stood up and faced her. “You have committed an act of treason and you were banished for that. However, your lust for power drove you to commit an even worse act against your own people.” She paused and remembered all of the lessons Asterios had taught her about the laws of their lands. She then carefully chose her next words. “You committed an act of war when you assisted in the capture of a member of the royal family. Our law on this matter is quite strict. The punishment for an act of war is the most severe our people have ever carried out.” Her voice began to break and she willed herself to continue. “I hereby sentence you to death. The sentence is to be carried out immediately.” As she finished her speech her voice cracked completely and tears streamed down her face.

Goryn stepped beside her and allowed her to lean against him slightly as two light elves roughly seized Einao’s arms. The head silver ranger of the elite archery unit stepped up to Caellia, “Is there an archery range nearby?” He softly asked her. Caellia closed her eyes and thought to herself quietly for a moment. Nathavin’s private range would be the only one she knew the location of. She silently nodded and they slowly made their way to the range.

Once outside Caellia was surprised to see that it was nearing dusk. They finally reached the range and all were silent as Einao was placed at the far end of the range. One archer, the most skilled of all those assembled, took his place at the opposite end of the target range. Once there, he slowly knocked an arrow, raised his soft white bone bow, drew the string back and held it there. Caellia watched through her tears as her once longtime and best friend stared sullenly at the arrow that was to end his life. She took in a breath, prepared to ask him a question when she felt Goryn place his hand on her arm. She turned to look at him.

“Don’t ask him. I know you want to, but it will make no difference in how you will feel and what has to be done.” He cautioned her.

A temple knight quietly added his own wisdom to Goryn’s “You do not have to watch this if you do not wish to. It is not required that you witness this. The choice is yours Princess Caellia.”

“I will not shy away from my duties any longer. I have run from them for too long already.” She then raised her voice to carry across the range to the waiting archer, her eyes never having strayed from Einao throughout the entire conversation, “Carry out the sentence.”

The archer released his arrow with deadly accuracy and watched with a heavy heart as his arrow pierced Einao in the heart and killed him instantly. He slowly lowered his bow as he heard Caellia crying softly into Goryn’s chest. “Einao you fool. Why couldn’t you have been happy with your own strength?” He sadly questioned into the softly blowing wind.

*****

            Nathavin cursed loudly as his strider stumbled again in the dark. He was infuriated that the beast couldn’t see in the dark. They had ridden all day and well into the night but it looked as if they were going to have to stop and at the very least allow the beasts to rest for a few hours. Bringing the group to a stop he dismounted and tossed the reins of the beast to the nearest person and stared fixedly in the direction of his castle. He heard the soft steps of the Shillien elder approaching him.

            “My Lord, I respectfully suggest that you get some rest. The following day will be long and hard.” She waited with baited breath for Nathavin’s answer.

            “No, I will not rest until I have ascertained the status of the castle and Caellia’s whereabouts.”
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Treason