Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:10 am
Randolph was started from his sleep. There he heard it – footsteps. In the dark recesses of the underground cave system someone was coming. The Falcon loosened his sword as the noise came closer. It was pitch black but there it was – a flicker of light coming around the corner. The former officer breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the voice – it was Drakko.
“It’s alright Randolph – I’ve just come to pay a visit.”
Randolph lit his lantern.
“Really now – you are too paranoid. I doubt anyone would find you down here.”
Lighting another, he turned to Drakko shaking his head. “If I’m being tracked by the FSS, I can’t be paranoid enough. You know how they operate Drakko – they’re ruthless – utterly ruthless. If I’m on their hit list, they will do anything – anything to have my head.”
Drakko sat down on a convenient rock. “Well, you’re right on one thing. The FSS is after you. I saw them raid the safe house almost two hours ago.”
Randolph sat down opposite of the Falcon noble. “What of the others then?”
“If everything works out alright, we’ll all settle down here for awhile. I really can’t think of a better place to hide.”
The soldier reached down to a small sack and pulled out two apples, tossing one to Drakko. “You know – I was thinking last night. When Martin is brought down, what are we to do? Set up another king? I certainly wouldn’t. That’s too much power in the hands of one man.”
Drakko bit into the fruit. “But – that’s the way it has always been. That is, with some sort of regulating body, it should be all right. Look at Falconis XXV – perhaps one of the greatest monarchs we’ve ever had – power doesn’t corrupt all you know.”
Randolph shot back. “It is still to much. And look what we are left with when there is a vacancy – now we are on the verge of a despotism like the Dragon Masters. Durlass wrenched power from Hindrich and now Martin has done the same. How do we know what will happen if the resistance gains control? Somebody will cave in, proclaim himself king, and regardless if he is good or bad, the whole cycle starts over again.”
“Then what would you propose? Do you have any better ideas?” Drakko seemed irritated. Randolph suspected it was due to his position in the nobility.
“A representative body of some sort – it can’t be the nobility – too easily corrupted. No offence to you of course.”
“None taken.” Drakko still looked uneasily at Randolph.
“Neither can it be the lower classes. A mob cannot be allowed to rule a country. No, the middle classes, the burgesses. It would be perfect – a group from the trader’s guild could handle economic affairs, a combined group of all other guilds could work on domestic affairs, and a small core group of landowners could work on foreign policy.”
Drakko contemplated Randolph’s idea. “I suppose that could work, but a strong ruler is still needed – someone to tie it all together so your different groups would not turn on each other.”
“Who then? Surely not Hindrich or any other member of the Royal family.”
“No – Hindrich has actually been missing for well over a month – it has been suspected he has been done away with somehow or other.”
“So that is the end of the Hohenzollern dynasty?”
Drakko smiled. “Actually, no. There is one surviving member. The nephew of Hindrich.”
Randolph gagged on his apple. “What? What the Megablocks are you talking about? A nephew?”
“Yes – a nephew. You do know that Falconis had two wives – no?”
“I have heard of such a thing…” Randolph was still trying to regain his composure.
“Well, his first wife had – an affair let’s say. She became pregnant and was disowned along with her daughter. That daughter in turn had a son named Graygon. I met him once but I only found out his true roots barely a month ago – by accident really.”
“And what – you want to go find this Graygon character? Why? Is it even worth it? What kind of ruler would he make?”
“Actually, not a bad one I should think. Also, I think you should be the one to do it.”
Randolph was tired enough as it was, and this only fired him up more.
“Me? You want me to go find this- this Graygon of yours? Where is he anyway?”
Drakko looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure really, but I’m pretty certain he is either on the Fell isle or the East coast of Dameteros. He considers himself a Wolfpack member, so you might have some luck there. Besides – you said yourself that your neck is on the line as long as you remain here, so why not? You really don’t have much to loose.”
Randolph tossed the core from his apple into a convenient dark corner. “I suppose you’re right. When should I start?”
“Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Not at all –anything to get out of this Tyco cave I suppose. I still don’t like it though. You say he thinks of himself as a Wolfpack? They are nothing then barbarians.”
Drakko shook his head. “Not all. They might be somewhat – backwards culturally, but a man with qualities that Graygon has is hard to find. You’ll see when you meet him.”
“It’s alright Randolph – I’ve just come to pay a visit.”
Randolph lit his lantern.
“Really now – you are too paranoid. I doubt anyone would find you down here.”
Lighting another, he turned to Drakko shaking his head. “If I’m being tracked by the FSS, I can’t be paranoid enough. You know how they operate Drakko – they’re ruthless – utterly ruthless. If I’m on their hit list, they will do anything – anything to have my head.”
Drakko sat down on a convenient rock. “Well, you’re right on one thing. The FSS is after you. I saw them raid the safe house almost two hours ago.”
Randolph sat down opposite of the Falcon noble. “What of the others then?”
“If everything works out alright, we’ll all settle down here for awhile. I really can’t think of a better place to hide.”
The soldier reached down to a small sack and pulled out two apples, tossing one to Drakko. “You know – I was thinking last night. When Martin is brought down, what are we to do? Set up another king? I certainly wouldn’t. That’s too much power in the hands of one man.”
Drakko bit into the fruit. “But – that’s the way it has always been. That is, with some sort of regulating body, it should be all right. Look at Falconis XXV – perhaps one of the greatest monarchs we’ve ever had – power doesn’t corrupt all you know.”
Randolph shot back. “It is still to much. And look what we are left with when there is a vacancy – now we are on the verge of a despotism like the Dragon Masters. Durlass wrenched power from Hindrich and now Martin has done the same. How do we know what will happen if the resistance gains control? Somebody will cave in, proclaim himself king, and regardless if he is good or bad, the whole cycle starts over again.”
“Then what would you propose? Do you have any better ideas?” Drakko seemed irritated. Randolph suspected it was due to his position in the nobility.
“A representative body of some sort – it can’t be the nobility – too easily corrupted. No offence to you of course.”
“None taken.” Drakko still looked uneasily at Randolph.
“Neither can it be the lower classes. A mob cannot be allowed to rule a country. No, the middle classes, the burgesses. It would be perfect – a group from the trader’s guild could handle economic affairs, a combined group of all other guilds could work on domestic affairs, and a small core group of landowners could work on foreign policy.”
Drakko contemplated Randolph’s idea. “I suppose that could work, but a strong ruler is still needed – someone to tie it all together so your different groups would not turn on each other.”
“Who then? Surely not Hindrich or any other member of the Royal family.”
“No – Hindrich has actually been missing for well over a month – it has been suspected he has been done away with somehow or other.”
“So that is the end of the Hohenzollern dynasty?”
Drakko smiled. “Actually, no. There is one surviving member. The nephew of Hindrich.”
Randolph gagged on his apple. “What? What the Megablocks are you talking about? A nephew?”
“Yes – a nephew. You do know that Falconis had two wives – no?”
“I have heard of such a thing…” Randolph was still trying to regain his composure.
“Well, his first wife had – an affair let’s say. She became pregnant and was disowned along with her daughter. That daughter in turn had a son named Graygon. I met him once but I only found out his true roots barely a month ago – by accident really.”
“And what – you want to go find this Graygon character? Why? Is it even worth it? What kind of ruler would he make?”
“Actually, not a bad one I should think. Also, I think you should be the one to do it.”
Randolph was tired enough as it was, and this only fired him up more.
“Me? You want me to go find this- this Graygon of yours? Where is he anyway?”
Drakko looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure really, but I’m pretty certain he is either on the Fell isle or the East coast of Dameteros. He considers himself a Wolfpack member, so you might have some luck there. Besides – you said yourself that your neck is on the line as long as you remain here, so why not? You really don’t have much to loose.”
Randolph tossed the core from his apple into a convenient dark corner. “I suppose you’re right. When should I start?”
“Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Not at all –anything to get out of this Tyco cave I suppose. I still don’t like it though. You say he thinks of himself as a Wolfpack? They are nothing then barbarians.”
Drakko shook his head. “Not all. They might be somewhat – backwards culturally, but a man with qualities that Graygon has is hard to find. You’ll see when you meet him.”