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The Disappearance Of Princess Cordelia

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In this photo, we can see clearly, the Prince Pilus having a fit of anger.

And the "Intrepid Missouri Man, Mr. Tree", trying to calm him down.

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Yipes! That's another story! THT and Barbaria in 10000 years BCF (Before Crux Forums) :D
 
“Me? You are joking?” Pilus gawped at him. “How can I kill someone like Vulcan? Ye Gods, the biggest thing I’ve ever killed in my life was a caterpillar, and that was an accident!”

“Well, I confess that I’d hoped you might have been able to get a little more experience under your belt, but I’m afraid that we don’t really have time to send you off to get battle practice.”

“But, for God’s sake, he keeps whizzing about the place on flying horses, he’s damn near killed you twice since sunrise, and both times would have killed me stone dead! You might not have noticed, but the sprouting wings when I find myself in free fall is not in my skill set! What madness makes you think it’s me?”

“Because, for generations, the women of Barbaria’s family have only ever produced girls. They produce the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful women that the world has ever seen, but girls they are. But Barbaria is unquestionably your mother, and you are unquestionably male. Your father is of the House of Heidraen, and there is this prophecy……”

“Bugger prophecies! What is this mumbo-jumbo? I’m not yet twenty! Am I supposed to stroll up to Vulcan and say ‘Excuse me, Vulcan, old chap, but Merlin says I’m supposed to kill you. Only I haven’t had much fighting experience. So just hold still a moment, there’s a good fellow, while I just cut your head off, it might take me a couple of goes, but I’ll be done in a minute or two.’”

Paul looked at him with sympathy. “Come with me,” he said.

Pilus, like a lamb, followed him into the pub. Paul led him to a back room, where there was a large chest. This he opened, and he withdrew the most beautiful sword Pilus had ever seen.

“Take hold of it,” Paul smiled.

Pilus reached out and clasped it by the hilt. The most peculiar feeling swept over him. With this sword he felt that he could win a battle singlehandedly.

“Wow!” was all he could say.

“You are holding the sword of Ascalon, Prince Pilus. It is one of four swords said to have been forged by God himself. This one is called the Dragonslayer, and it really has killed dragons. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. A young man, just like you, who killed a dragon that was terrifying an entire country, and which had consumed most of the young women in that country. With a brave heart in your chest, and this sword in your hand, you can slay Lord Vulcan, and you will!”

Pilus swung the sword experimentally. “OK,” he said, “I’m certainly willing to try! Where do I find Vulcan?”

“Let’s get back to the others and I’ll explain the situation.”
 
“Me? You are joking?” Pilus gawped at him. “How can I kill someone like Vulcan? Ye Gods, the biggest thing I’ve ever killed in my life was a caterpillar, and that was an accident!”

“Well, I confess that I’d hoped you might have been able to get a little more experience under your belt, but I’m afraid that we don’t really have time to send you off to get battle practice.”

“But, for God’s sake, he keeps whizzing about the place on flying horses, he’s damn near killed you twice since sunrise, and both times would have killed me stone dead! You might not have noticed, but the sprouting wings when I find myself in free fall is not in my skill set! What madness makes you think it’s me?”

“Because, for generations, the women of Barbaria’s family have only ever produced girls. They produce the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful women that the world has ever seen, but girls they are. But Barbaria is unquestionably your mother, and you are unquestionably male. Your father is of the House of Heidraen, and there is this prophecy……”

“Bugger prophecies! What is this mumbo-jumbo? I’m not yet twenty! Am I supposed to stroll up to Vulcan and say ‘Excuse me, Vulcan, old chap, but Merlin says I’m supposed to kill you. Only I haven’t had much fighting experience. So just hold still a moment, there’s a good fellow, while I just cut your head off, it might take me a couple of goes, but I’ll be done in a minute or two.’”

Paul looked at him with sympathy. “Come with me,” he said.

Pilus, like a lamb, followed him into the pub. Paul led him to a back room, where there was a large chest. This he opened, and he withdrew the most beautiful sword Pilus had ever seen.

“Take hold of it,” Paul smiled.

Pilus reached out and clasped it by the hilt. The most peculiar feeling swept over him. With this sword he felt that he could win a battle singlehandedly.

“Wow!” was all he could say.

“You are holding the sword of Ascalon, Prince Pilus. It is one of four swords said to have been forged by God himself. This one is called the Dragonslayer, and it really has killed dragons. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. A young man, just like you, who killed a dragon that was terrifying an entire country, and which had consumed most of the young women in that country. With a brave heart in your chest, and this sword in your hand, you can slay Lord Vulcan, and you will!”

Pilus swung the sword experimentally. “OK,” he said, “I’m certainly willing to try! Where do I find Vulcan?”

“Let’s get back to the others and I’ll explain the situation.”

really now.jpg This is starting to sound like something I have heard somewhere before...magic swords, slayed dragons, and all .... :rolleyes:

But it's damn good writing....keep going Wragg!!! ... I want to be saved before its too late :)
 
keep going Wragg!!! ... I want to be saved before its too late
Pp can't offer Wragg the same sultry proposition that Barb seems to be making over her shoulder with those pouting lips but he is enjoying this and wonders whether the young Prince can save his old Mum and her mates at all. Perhaps, if he can, he will leave it until the last possible moment to prolong the enjoyment of all here in the women's suffering.
 
They rejoined Wragg and Dorothy outside in the street. Pilus passed Wragg his old sword. “Have you ever used one of these?”

“Oh, yes,” said Wragg, “I was at the Battle of Ystragarth. My father was one of Sciuridan’s generals – he was crucified for nearly allowing Erin the Elfen Warrior Queen to kill Sciuridan.”

“You were in Sciuridan’s army? I thought they were all slaughtered?”

“All except the cowards,” grinned Wragg. “But don’t worry, this time I want to save Elise!”

“Listen carefully,” said Paul, “and I’ll explain the situation, and the plan.

“We need to kill Vulcan if we are to have any chance of saving the women. He is no longer at Castle Tarant, he is outside Heidraen, where he intends to capture the city, kill your father and yourself, Pilus, and put your Uncle Naraku on the throne of Aestria, as his puppet.”

“Can he do that by himself?” wondered Pilus.

“No, he has tens of thousands of Draen warriors with him. I couldn’t count how many, but a lot. But I have frustrated part of his plan.”

“Which was?”

“They were going to wait for Shevak to ride out with the cream of his troops to try and rescue Cordelia. They were hoping to catch Shevak out in the open. If they had, he would not have stood a chance. But I have warned him, and he has shut up Heidraen tight and is making preparations to resist a siege.”

“A siege? Sieges take weeks! We haven’t got weeks! So, let me see if I’ve understood you so far. The four of us need to relieve the siege of Heidraen, kill Vulcan, and then after lunch we need to seize an impregnable castle at the other end of the country and rescue the women? Oh, I forgot, we have a magic sword, it’ll be a piece of cake!”

“Pilus, I really must talk to you sometime about your cynicism! Look!”

Pilus followed the direction of his finger. Warships, flying the flag of Aestra, were on the Silver River. A large army was marching along the road between Ystragarth and Heidraen. Then Paul pointed the other way. Hordes of green clad warriors were moving through the fields in the direction of Heidraen.

“And here,” said Paul, “ is our lift to Heidraen, Yupar! Tanda! You are a sight for sore eyes!”

The streets of South Hagen echoed to the clatter of horses hooves as a large contingent of Elfen cavalry, led by two fearsome looking warriors, moved up through the town. Both Yupar and Tanda led two horses each.

Yupar jumped down, and kissed Dorothy, then Paul. They exchanged greetings, then Yupar said, “Dorothy, you can’t fight in your night dress, you’ll find some armour and a sword in the supply wagon!”
 
Yupar jumped down, and kissed Dorothy, then Paul. They exchanged greetings, then Yupar said, “Dorothy, you can’t fight in your night dress, you’ll find some armour and a sword in the supply wagon!”
Dorothy in her night attire may have provided a wonderful distraction......though probably as much to the virile though impressionable young prince as to their enemies.

Pilus should be a gentleman and offer to help choose and fit her armour. Something like this perhaps?

image.jpg
 
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Dorothy in her night attire may have provided a wonderful distraction......though probably as much to the virile though impressionable young prince as to their enemies.

Pilus should be a gentleman and offer to help choose and fit her armour. Something like this perhaps?

View attachment 216239
Looks perfect to me, Pp! Beat's a 'night dress' any day of the week :D

The action moves to Heidraen...
 
Vulcan sat next to his leading general, and frowned. “They’re not coming out, are they? They haven’t even opened the gate. How can Shevak sit in his castle eating a late breakfast when his daughter is in peril? It’s not the Shevak I know.”

“Sire, I fear there is but one conclusion. Someone has warned Shevak of our intentions. They would have opened the gate by now for normal traffic. See, there are carts waiting outside the gate.”

Vulcan was reluctant to accept the truth of what the other was saying. Ambushing Shevak would have meant a quick, clean, win, with Naraku on the throne by lunchtime. He really did not want to embark on a siege, which could take weeks and which had far less guarantee of success.

The general pointed to plumes of smoke rising from the battlements and towers of the city walls. “They are preparing boiling oil, Sire. I’m sorry, they are definitely preparing for a siege.

As if in confirmation, a soldier called down to the carters below. After a brief discussion, the carts turned around and headed away from Heidraen.

“Shit. Do we have siege engines?”

“No, Sire.”

“All right. Surround the city. Let’s see if we can talk Shevak into surrendering, Failing that, we will just have to burn him out!”

The general gave an order, trumpets blew, and the trees and hedgerows came alive with black-clad troops as they began to move into their new positions.

It takes a while to move a whole army into a new position, and Vulcan raged with frustration as orders were given, as sergeants bellowed at troops. It seemed to take an age, but eventually all was ready, and he sat on Dorothy’s white Pegasus and bellowed “SHEVAK!”

The answer came immediately. “Lord Vulcan, I presume?”

“You have no hope, Shevak! We have you surrounded! We have supplies enough to starve you out, thousands will die! Including Barbaria, and Cordelia, and the others, who at this moment are hanging, screaming, on crosses at Castle Tarant. Give yourself up, and Pilus, and I will release the women, and all those thousands will live!”

“To enjoy the benevolence of your control, and that of Naraku? I don’t think so, Vulcan. I can tell you that Barbaria would prefer her cross to serving you. It is you, not I, that lacks hope!”

“Have it your way, Shevak!”

Vulcan threw a bolt of energy at the gate, which exploded into flame.
 
Naraku stood on the ramparts of Castle Tarant, and saw smoke rising over Heidraen.

He turned around. “The destruction of Heidraen has begun! By midday I shall be your King!”

The erstwhile monks dutifully called “Long live King Naraku! Long live King Naraku!”

Arby and his wife were still over by Elise. He whispered to his wife “I see he’s valiantly fighting the battle from up here!”

Barbaria, struggling for breath, groaned. She, too, could see a column of smoke rising behind Naraku. All she’d worked for, all she’d built up, gone in a few hours.

A tear dropped into the pool of blood at her feet. She struggled to look at Eulalia, who was, likewise, gazing at the smoke, and who was also weeping.

Naraku was continuing, “Fear not, good people, I shall remember the good service you have given me today! You shall all have positions of power in my court! I shall…..”

He broke off, stunned, gazing down at the shaft of an arrow sticking out of his chest, then fell backwards into the abyss below. The mountains echoed with the sound of his death scream, which terminated abruptly.

Arby watched in horror as arrows rained into the courtyard, which rang with screams as they found their mark. He stood with his hands up. “Don’t shoot! Please don’t shoot!” He knelt in surrender. He could not see who was shooting, then he realised that the attackers were coming down the mountain.

A beautiful, flame haired Elfen warrior dropped lightly into the courtyard, followed by several others. She gestured towards Arby and his wife, the only black monks still alive. “Tie them up!” she ordered, “We can crucify them later. You four – search the castle for any more! Come on the rest of you! Let’s get these poor girls down from these bloody crosses!”

“Erin!” croaked Barbaria, “By God, it’s good to see you!”

“Oh Barb, how could they do this to you again? Oh Siss! You poor things! To have endured crucifixion twice! We’re here now, we’ll soon have you down!”

“I’m…..afraid….you won’t,” gasped Eulalia.

“Erin, we can’t shift this cross!” called a warrior.

“Nor this one!” called another.

“Well – search the castle! Find tools! Get a saw!”

Soon enough, two of them returned with a bow saw. Erin pointed at Blaire’s cross. “Cut that down!”

Two of them stood ready to lower Blaire backwards, and the original pair began to saw industriously at the base of Blaire’s cross. The movement made Blaire howl in agony.

For five minutes they sawed. At the end of that time there wasn’t a mark on the cross, nor was there a tooth left on the saw.

Blaire screamed and cried as they tried every which way to get her off her cross, but at the end of a fruitless and agonising half hour they were left with an assortment of wrecked tools, but Blaire remained firmly nailed to her cross.

Erin was furious with frustration. “This is ridiculous! Why can’t we get them down? Are we supposed to just stand here and watch them suffer?”

Eulalia looked at her with sorrow in her eyes, and just about managed to nod.
 
Naraku stood on the ramparts of Castle Tarant, and saw smoke rising over Heidraen.

He turned around. “The destruction of Heidraen has begun! By midday I shall be your King!”

The erstwhile monks dutifully called “Long live King Naraku! Long live King Naraku!”

Arby and his wife were still over by Elise. He whispered to his wife “I see he’s valiantly fighting the battle from up here!”

Barbaria, struggling for breath, groaned. She, too, could see a column of smoke rising behind Naraku. All she’d worked for, all she’d built up, gone in a few hours.

A tear dropped into the pool of blood at her feet. She struggled to look at Eulalia, who was, likewise, gazing at the smoke, and who was also weeping.

Naraku was continuing, “Fear not, good people, I shall remember the good service you have given me today! You shall all have positions of power in my court! I shall…..”

He broke off, stunned, gazing down at the shaft of an arrow sticking out of his chest, then fell backwards into the abyss below. The mountains echoed with the sound of his death scream, which terminated abruptly.

Arby watched in horror as arrows rained into the courtyard, which rang with screams as they found their mark. He stood with his hands up. “Don’t shoot! Please don’t shoot!” He knelt in surrender. He could not see who was shooting, then he realised that the attackers were coming down the mountain.

A beautiful, flame haired Elfen warrior dropped lightly into the courtyard, followed by several others. She gestured towards Arby and his wife, the only black monks still alive. “Tie them up!” she ordered, “We can crucify them later. You four – search the castle for any more! Come on the rest of you! Let’s get these poor girls down from these bloody crosses!”

“Erin!” croaked Barbaria, “By God, it’s good to see you!”

“Oh Barb, how could they do this to you again? Oh Siss! You poor things! To have endured crucifixion twice! We’re here now, we’ll soon have you down!”

“I’m…..afraid….you won’t,” gasped Eulalia.

“Erin, we can’t shift this cross!” called a warrior.

“Nor this one!” called another.

“Well – search the castle! Find tools! Get a saw!”

Soon enough, two of them returned with a bow saw. Erin pointed at Blaire’s cross. “Cut that down!”

Two of them stood ready to lower Blaire backwards, and the original pair began to saw industriously at the base of Blaire’s cross. The movement made Blaire howl in agony.

For five minutes they sawed. At the end of that time there wasn’t a mark on the cross, nor was there a tooth left on the saw.

Blaire screamed and cried as they tried every which way to get her off her cross, but at the end of a fruitless and agonising half hour they were left with an assortment of wrecked tools, but Blaire remained firmly nailed to her cross.

Erin was furious with frustration. “This is ridiculous! Why can’t we get them down? Are we supposed to just stand here and watch them suffer?”

Eulalia looked at her with sorrow in her eyes, and just about managed to nod.

Yay.jpg As she often proclaims....Erin has my back!!!! Stunning rescue, very dramatic...almost like an old Errol Flynn movie, with Erin sweeping in out of nowhere like that...

skeptical2.jpg ...but wait, what's going on here?...wrecked tools, Blaire still nailed firmly to her cross? ... oh no!!!!!!! Perhaps, we need the long forgotten, but still potent, powers of a Sorceress to get out of this dilemma?
 
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...but wait, what's going on here?...wrecked tools, Blaire still nailed firmly to her cross? ... oh no!!!!!!! Perhaps, we need the long forgotten, but still potent, powers of a Sorceress to get out of this dilemma?
Sorceress? It seems clear that Queen Barbaria has little faith in her son, the young Prince Pilus, to deliver her, or her friends, from vulcan's evil.
 
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This is Barb we're talking about..it'll need a team effort! :rolleyes:

Pilus, Paul, Erin, Eulalia, even Wragg, maybe!:doh:

And, would you look at that! Not one person has thought to wrap a towel or something around Barb and the others! :devil:
 
Naraku was continuing, “Fear not, good people, I shall remember the good service you have given me today! You shall all have positions of power in my court! I shall…..”

He broke off, stunned, gazing down at the shaft of an arrow sticking out of his chest, then fell backwards into the abyss below. The mountains echoed with the sound of his death scream, which terminated abruptly.


Aw, fuck!
 
Vulcan was airborne on the Pegasus, flying high over Heidraen, firing bolts of energy down into the city. Clouds of smoke rose into the sky as buildings caught fire, men and women screamed in terror, and Heidraen was gradually turning into a scene from the apocalypse. Shevak’s archers, desperate to end this torment, were loosing storms of arrows up at Vulcan, but those that hit the horse and rider bounced harmlessly away.

Shevak watched with anxiety from the castle. “We can’t stand too much of this!” he thought. “What can we do? Should I surrender myself, before the whole city is burned to the ground?”

Suddenly a new sound reached his ears. Screams and cries and the clashing of swords. He looked out over the besieging army. The enemy were being attacked from the rear!

In fact, they were being attacked on three fronts. The Ystragarth army on their right flank, with archers on warships adding to the panic, elves on their left flank, but the true damage was being done by a devastating cavalry charge, let by Yupar, with Pilus, Paul, and Tanda in close support, which smashed into their rear.

It was carnage. Wragg had not enjoyed himself for years, as he slashed and thrust, and within two or three minutes he’d killed auks, trolls and men as the Draen army melted before this triple onslaught.

Sitting high over Heidraen, Vulcan also heard the commotion. He saw the effect the cavalry was having, and knew that if he couldn’t reverse the tide of battle the day would be lost. As he swept over the gate, masses of Heidraenese troops were pouring through it, and as the Draens had turned to meet the charge from the rear, now they found themselves completely encircled by revenge-thirsty troops.

Vulcan started to throw bolts down upon the cavalry, causing horses to rise up in terror and throw their riders into the seething battle below. Pilus just saw a flash, his horse reared up, and he found himself on the ground. He was fighting for his life as Draen warriors attacked him. In a second he was on his feet, and a few swipes with his new sword earned him some healthy respect from the Draen, and he soon cleared a space around him.

Another bolt came down from Vulcan. This time it was different, as Quiet Paul returned a bolt, and, for the second time today, the horse was struck between its eyes.

The Pegasus received no reprieve on this occasion, and horse and rider smashed to the ground just yards from Paul and Pilus. Dazed but unhurt, Vulcan staggered to his feet, and launched a bolt at Paul, which was blocked by a returning bolt, and by then Pilus was on him.

Ascaron flashed brilliantly in the morning sunlight as Vulcan attempted to throw a bolt at Pilus, then he stared in horror at his severed right arm. “That’s not a normal sword!” he screamed, knowing that ordinary steel could no way have hurt him. He screamed a spell, and a new right hand appeared, just at the moment that Pilus had thought it was going to be too easy.

“No!” yelled Pilus, fighting for his life, “it is the Sword of Ascaron, and I’m Prince Pilus! Time has run out, Vulcan!

Pilus saw a tiny flicker of fear and doubt in Vulcan’s eyes, as the two of them clashed. Pilus found himself driven backwards, but parried every cut and thrust from Vulcan. He cried out as Vulcan just nicked his arm, and the next stroke from Vulcan missed his neck by the breadth of a hair as he leapt backwards to dodge it.

Pilus found himself burning with hatred towards Vulcan. He screamed in fury as he launched a frenzied attack upon him. Paul was sure he was going to be killed in his hot temper, but once again Ascaron found its mark, and Pilus barely felt any resistance as, for the second time, it swept through bone and muscle, and Vulcan’s sword fell to the ground, still clutched by his severed hand.

This time Pilus gave him no quarter. The spell died on Vulcan’s lips as his head bounced onto the grass.

“His heart, Pilus!” yelled Paul, “You must pierce his heart!”

“BAAAAASSSTAAAARD!” yelled Pilus, as he thrust Ascaron deep into Vulcan’s chest, impaling his body into the ground.

There was no question but that Lord Vulcan was quite, quite, dead.
 
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