CHAPTER 3.10 - THE ERRAND

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In the morning Wulfram is awakened by the sounds of cleaning and the smell of meat cooking. Some of the young villagers are here preparing broth and cooked meat for the days meals. As Wulfram prepares to stand, yawning, stretching, he observes a familiar shape at the doorway to the great hall.

Viktor's man servant, Otto is standing there. Palid, neatly dressed and expressionless. (His clothes are Victorian so they look weird to Wulfram).

“Lord Viktor wishes to see you at the manor for breakfast, Master Wulfram,” Otto says. He waits. Wulfram freshens up.

When Wulfram is ready, Otto says “Follow me.” He leads Wulfram to the manor and escorts him to the dining hall where Viktor and Viktoria have already started (grains, fruit and cold cooked wild game birds – duck, goose, pheasant). Honeyed mead to wash meal down.says.

“Please, sit, eat, “ Viktor says. “Your company is most welcome.”

“Are you well?” Viktoria asks.

“Yes I am thank you, and yourself?” Wulfram.

Viktoria replies “I am feeling much better these days, even more than when you first brought the bracelet to aid me. I am most grateful for that for without I would be unable to conduct my affairs in public.”

“Yes, you certainly have saved Viktoria from a fate far worse than eternal servitude to darkness which is exactly what that fiend Madenstadt sought to force upon my lovely wife.” Crosstenmarch look at you. “I am still unsure about the reaction from the villagers when I told them about Viktoria last night. I was concerned they might get hostile. Fortunately it did not come to that, they appeared to be quite accepting of the facts. How did you see their reaction?” he asks.

Wulfram takes a deep gulp of mead. “It was a good move, but there is possibly one that might not have been happy with what you said.”

“Who might that be?”

“Otto.”

“Really? Otto has never expressed any opinions to me. What makes you believe he was unhappy?”

“I saw it in his expression when you mentioned your father and Rosenrot. Beyond that he was most expressionless.”

Viktor dwells on that “An interesting observation you make. All I know is that Otto has always supported me and, indeed, if I am to believe my eyes then he has has aways supported my family.”

“Indeed he has ... however the difference is that he has always been here and you haven't.”

“A good point you make Wulfram.”

“As we discussed before, what do you think will happen when the next cycle happens. Do you know what your father discovered before? Does the next person have to discover that knowkedge again? I think your speech last night might trigger evenst or begin to accelerate them. Something that might have been precipitated by the number forty that you mentioned.”

“I'm not entirely sure what you mean by triggering the events. Certainly I possess no such intentions -”

“I mean unwittingly, driven by fate more than anything else.”

“I think I am beginning to follow. That perhaps, without my being aware of it fully, that my words and actions are actually predetermining my destiny. If that is the case then I sincerely believe that my next proposed action will counter that destiny ...I have an errand that I would be most grateful for you undertaking ... “ he hands Wulfram a sealed leather scroll case. The seal bears Crosstenmarch's heraldry depicting a large rose at its' center with crossed swords over a shield and cross symbol. “You might be wondering what that contains,” he says. “That is my message to Madenstadt and I ask you to ensure that it is delivered for me.”

“Certainly. Am I to await a reply?”

“I will leave that to your best judgement and I suspect that will depend entirely on how you are received. ” Viktor looks at Wulfram, assessing him, SENSE MOTIVE 24 and Wulfram considers that Crosstenmarch is sending you because he knows what you are and he knows that Madenstadt might react to that. “I think that Madenstadt will quite intrigued with you. His name is Dominik. He has a wife and a son ... their names are Seffi and Kut. “

Breakfast is finished amidst more polite conversation.


(What does it say?) “It is words between old rivals. It tells him to stay away. It tells him his allies will be sundered and that his dark mistress, Hel, shall never claim our souls as her own.”

Viktoria indicates she is going to the courtyard. “Wulfram would you care to join me?”
Viktor is unconcerned, he indicates he is going to retire to his study.

Otto clears the table, watching Wulfram go to the courtyard.

SENSE MOTIVE 23 – Otto is watching Wulfram.

Viktoria retires to the private courtyard, where she sits on a garden seat and admires brilliant large red roses. The courtyard is magnificent, surrounded by stone walls and there are archways that lead to other internal parts of the manor and also outside to paths connecting to both the village and the woods. Overhead there is a partial angled canopy of coloured glass which filters the sunlight as well as an open area that can provide brighter light if that is required.

The birds are singing, it is a peaceful morning and a wonderful day.

Viktoria confides “I am worried about Viktor. He is driven by his obssessions. His faith will lead to his demise. It killed his ancestors. His hatred of Madenstadt will prove to be his undoing. I fear that our enemies will use it against him. When you meet with Madenstadt you might see another side to him. It is possible there is more to him than his arrogance, bloodlust, greed and hatred for the Crosstenmarchs. Do be careful. He will have you killed if he cannot dominate you and if he is given the chance. But if you do meet him, do try to look beyond the man. You might see something else, something that might surprise you.”

Wulfram thanks her for the advice.

“Apart from the dangerous adventures in our woodlands, how are you finding life in Haastenmoord? Do you think you could live here forever?” Viktoria asks.

“Much will depend on our status in Asgard. It's an interesting place and good people live here.”

“If we can defeat the Madenstadt's and keep all evil at bay then I believe that Haastenmoord will continue to be a beautiful place to live. I have accepted my fate and am pleased that the monster inside me has been contained. I am very thankful for that. Very thankful indeed.” She looks at Wulfram intently. SENSE MOTIVE 22. Wulfram senses very strongly that Viktoria intends to kiss him. He lets it happen. Viktoria kisses him passionately and then she wishes you the best luck on your task to deliver the letter. She felt cold to the touch. “Don't let Madenstadt try to control you, keep yourself safe for the village and for me. Good speed.”

“Where does that path lead?” Wulframs asks.

“I don't really know ... it just leads into the woods she says. It's the path I used to go into the woods on the day that I was kidnapped and subjected to the dark ritual of the undying. Don't get me wrong, I was not attacked here close to the manor. It is simply the starting point I chose to take when I asked the rangers to accopany me. The path is short and simply leads into the woods. From there it ends and a person can go anywhere. It's really just for convenience.”

Wulfram considers that the path might be accessible to Madenstadt or his allies, if that is where she actually went missing. He also considers that the manor is very strong and defensible. That means it may make the perfect sanctuary for the villagers should it ever become necessary to fall back from the village proper.

Otto escorts Wulfram from the manor. At the door, as Wulfram goes, he will say “Good fortunes, Master Wulfram, we shall be seeing you ... again.” which is all rather suspicious and mysterious!

“Thank you Otto.”

Wulfram informs Hrothgaard of the task, gathers supplies (wolvenwort, food). He then departs to undertake his task, using the path that leads past the manor into the woods.