Thunder rolled with the pounding hoofs of the Count's horse. A darkness had descended on the Duchy of Loathar and the son returns to check the father, does he live? Rain fell as the Count's journey neared its end. The Count pulled the reins back and the gray charger slipped to a halt at the entrance of the Duke's private retreat. The Count bound from the horse and tossed the reins to the footman in a single motion, and shouted "Bedi!" The Valet rushed forward, crouching, bowing, scraping with hat in hand, knowing all to well the Comte de Vain should not be crossed, or even kept waiting.
"Does he live?" seethed de Vain in a disquieting calm voice.
"Yes Lord, he's strong as ten men yet!" replied Bedi, continuing hesitantly, "though he does spout nonsense at the top of his..." He's words were cut short by the stinging slap of de Vain's glove across his face. Taking the rebuke and bowing in supplication, Bedi offered "he is being cared for diligently in his private chambers Lord."
In a whirl of cloak and raindrops de Vain marched off towards the large double doors at the entrace of the Duke's chateau. Out of the corner of his eye Bedi observed the retreating lad. Eighteen now, he had grown much in his years at the Stagonian court. What vile things the boy must have learned while being fostered in the Snakedom of Stagonia, he could only wonder. The frame of the lad betrayed no lineage of the Duke at all. The slight figure, every step and movement one of grace, even appearing calculated for effect. Bedi allowed his mind to wonder for a minute at the possibilities and a smile crept across his face.
De Vain entered the chateau and paused briefly at the entrace, removing his cloak, he tossed it into the arms of an attendant. Glancing briefly in the mirror, a quick ruffle 0f his hair to shake some rain from his curls, then stepped off to the stairs. Bedi trailed at a respectful distance, half smiling.
Reaching the top of the stairs de Vain looked right toward his father's private apartment then left towards his mothers. Sensing Bedi's presence, de Vain spun around and asked, "Is my mother well?"
"Yes Lord, though tired as you might imagine, but sleeping well at present" Bedi replied in an official flat voice, betraying no emotion.
Sighing with resignation, de Vain ordered "Bring my father's doctor to me now, wake him if you must."
"Yes my Lord" replied Bedi, "He is tending the Duke even now, I will retrieve him immediately."
De Vain used the brief solitude to consider possibilities. He wondered, hoped, and yet refused to accept the possibility that now, he's time had come. To take the Dukedom for his own, free of his father's shadow. Word gathered on road and inn made it clear that things in the Duchy were far from normal. Rumors have spread that strange things were going on in the Duke's household, the Duke himself would spend hours howling and baying at the moon through all hours of the night. That peasent women were going missing around the Duke's chateau. The aged called up stories of old, told them in tavern and hall, and fears have grown that the Duke is a shapeshifter.
What nonsense, thought de Vain. Still the mob cannot be ignored. De Vain felt the insolent stares from the huddled peasents along the road.
A shuffling noise in the hall announced the return of Bedi with the doctor. De Vain focused on the speckled nose of the old man with rumpled clothes and ragged beard. "Well?" he said, "what have you discovered about my father's condition?"
"It is a very difficult case my Lord," replied the doctor in a hushed dry voice, "the Duke has fits of madness interspersed with moments of lucidity, though the latter are fewer now." The doctor thought carefully about how to proceed, "as you know Lord, the Duke's large frame has taken a toll on his health, that demon gout has been at him for a number of years now. It is difficult to tell where the howling from one malady leaves off for another."
The doctor took his glasses from his nose and wiped them carefully on his sleeve. "My colleagues and I are of the opinion that a specialist must be called in to treat the dukes condition, in fact we have sent for him my Lord, these past 4 days. He should arrive within a day or two at most." With that the doctor, held his breath for the outburst, but it never came.
De Vain considered the import of the doctor's words. This specialist must not be allowed to arrive, it would be a tragedy if the duke were to recover.
"Bedi, I'm going in to see my father, alone. Make preparations to have the household moved to the fortress of Lor Lux, we leave on the morrow. Send word to Brigadier Gaspar Âne to assemble the Valleroi Cuirassiers and the Fleury Dragoons, I want them at the fortress before our arrival. I want two squadrons of the Fleury Dragoons to travel to meet us." With that, de Vain moved down the hall towards his father's apartment.
An erie sound grew from the depths of the chateau, louder it grew and louder with each step of the Vain's boots. De Vain hesitated at the door, cringing and shaking, the howling penetrating his sanity even his very soul. Gathering all resolve, de Vain took a deep breath, slowing exhaling to calm his nerves. Sweat upon his brow, the Vain pushed open the door.
