The Land of Grimney - The Illustrated Adventures of Cora Pearl, aged 12

*Enters the tavern, his armour is plastered with mud and blood*.

Drink... Water... Please....

The water is marsh water... you would be better off with ale.

*Arabella puts a jug of ale on the table.*

Is there much news outside the swamp?

*Kurtis takes the drink with a shaking hand and gulps it down*.

This neutral territory?.... For now it's best to be neutral.... Who knows who will win...

*He wipes blood from a gash in his neck*.

Nearly slain by dagger, not a knightly death.

*Kurtis exhales heavily*.

Ringing in my ears. All those clashing swords.

*He gulps down more ale*.

War wages.... Men and women die.... I've come from Dorlich.... The place is wiped from the map...

Oh how awful... and my lady... I mean Princess Philomena. Last I heard she had been taken to Zoltar Castle after her ordeal with the Chaos Engine. I would have thought she would send news. Urat has been so fretful for her.

*Arabella pulls out some bandages and a bottle of wound lotion.*

You should clear yourself up. Wounds can go bad so quickly.

I know nothing of the Princess.... We can only hope that she is safe...

*He continues to drink the ale*.

I was separated from my troops, the men I was with were slaughtered.

*He smiles*.

You are loyal to Philomena here? Then you must be supporters of Carados?

We are loyal to the Princess and love her dearly.

*Arabella pours him another drink.*

And we are loyal to our Queen.

Thank you.... My mouth is very dry...

*He takes another gulp*.

I fight on Carados's side.... But I'm also loyal to the Queen.... It is the High Council that is treasonous. Rumours were that the Princess had returned to the sea.... Maybe they were false? A deception?

The Queen fled to Carados when he returned, there are rumours that the High Council were drugging her to prevent her from her rightful powers.

*Arabella shrugs*

I don't know much of these matters, but that Carados fights for the Queen and the Queen's Elite are split.

*The elf girl looks up at a portrait of Philomena that hangs above the bar*

The Duke's men rescued the Princess from the Chaos Engine or after the attack I think. She wrote to me to say she was with the Queen at Zoltar Castle. She wanted to leave but her father was reluctant to let her go, he wanted to show a united front to the High Council after they had tried to persuade him to disinherit her.

Perhaps he has let her go... but the Duke of Zoltar can be as stubborn as his daughter.

Well, at least the Princess is safe. This will only end when one side has obliterated the other. I long for the day when the High Council are executed, and the Queen's Elite are declared outlaws... Only then will we have peace.

The Queen's Elite declared outlaws? But what of Elios, Regar, Shayle, Dravenore? No... My Lady Princess will not let that happen and neither will Kalvos. Many have declared for the Queen, for it is she who they made there vows for... although I know Kalvos is reluctant to follow Carados, there is no way he would stand against the Philomena.