The Nest and the Viper: Part 1
Thorongil...now where had she heard that name before?
The name the Corsair captain had uttered brought the Champion up short for a moment, SilverWand already warm and electric in her hand. Then the memory came back with a rush that left her breathless.
"By Elbereth's oversexed stallion...Thorongil is the bastard father of Rian's runaway blacksmith. Fillewhatthefeck." She shook her head for a moment as she could see the small skiff of Gondorian style coming aground, a single figure standing in the prow, dark cloak flapping in the wind. Things were moving fast now as she could make out two corsairs plus their captain meeting the skiff, and two hiding side by side with crossbows. Five in all and surprise on the side of the Champion. Shouldn't be a problem. Then she would just have Thorongil to deal with.
The Banshee shook her head again as she moved within easy reach of both of the two crossbowmen, still undetected by the distracted corsairs, thinking to herself in fevered tones. "I knew he was a proper villain and total orge-prick, but if he truly intends to sell out the defenses of the City of Dol Amroth, HIM, a captain of the Swan Knights, then he is taking bastardy to a new low, and that multi-holed troll stuffie deserves what he gets, either from these sea-going bottom feeders, or me. I will be damned, for the first time in her dainty little life Princess Lacey Pants really was right...by the time anyone knew what was happening these scum could be in the city without proper defenses and sentries, and that would be bad...very bad."
Khaloss stepped forward to meet the dark haired Gondorian as he came ashore. Even though he was badly disguised as a fisherman Xandilif remembered his cruel, hawk-like profile well from when she had been gathering information on him at her sister's request (see HERE). There was no mistaking him, he was certainly Captain Thorongil of the Swan Knights. If scuttlebutt, rumor and reputation could be believed then betraying his city to Corsairs was not his first bloody crime, but certainly his worst.
There was little negotiation as the two Captains cautiously exchanged maps, having dispensed with any pleasantries. If Khaloss's words before Thorongil arrived were to be believed, then the map he was given showed the proper course to sail to avoid the traps and monitors into the port of Dol Amroth, and the map he gave showed where Thorongil could find his reward,. Once the reward was in his hand, though no doubt a cut of the final take would also be his to insure he did as requested, he would deal with the sentries in some nefarious fashion, and Dol Amroth would be wide open for plunder.
As the two Captains saluted one another with villainous smirks, Xandilif of Belfalas muttered two words, "Not Happening", and stepped forward behind the two crossbowmen. Before either turned to face the threat SilverWand was in motion, sparkling with azure power. The heavy sword neatly bisected both men, cutting through armor, crossbows, flesh and bone in a vicious arc born of equal parts skill and rage.
After centuries of warfare there were few things Xandilif the Banshee, SilverWand's Slut, cared about beyond her comrades in battle. One of these things was her adopted city of Dol Amroth, another may have been the prissy young Princess who struggled to rule there, but above all, though she would never admit it, she cared about her annoying and idiotic sister, Xanderian. The men before her sought to burn Dol Amroth and consign its Princess to a terrible fate...but worst of all, that smirking Gondorian bastard had grievously hurt someone Xanderian the Monk loved dearly as well...and he could not be allowed to walk away from that. He simply could not.
The two remaining corsairs leaped at the Champion, scimitars raised, and it was clear to the Banshee that the best of the freebooters had been killed off with their former leader Balakhor the Scourge and the other Heirs of Castamir. These were second raters at best..scimitars waving, screaming war cries as if the armored Champion before them could be frightened away like a quivering city guardsman. She nearly laughed as she lowered her sword contemptuously. The two corsairs howled in triumph at their unguarded foe.
Xandilif shrugged and SilverWand came up from the ground between the thighs of one airborne pirate, sinking through his groin and six inches up into his abdoman with the sickening sound of fresh meat being carved from the bone. As the man screamed in the tongue of Harad, the Champion pivoted with the pirate still impaled on SilverWand like a sweetmeat on a toothpick and slammed him into the second pirate, sending them both in a screaming heap of limbs and scimitars. The greatsword went up, then came down like a butcher's cleaver, as both men stopped screaming and the Champion turned to face Khaloss and Thorongil, with death and death alone on her mind.
The shocked Corsair Captain spun from the carnage to face the Swan Knight. "A traitor is always a traitor, you betray me Gondorian dog!!" Even as Thorongil protested a jewel encrusted dagger was rammed into his side, a murderous look burning on Khaloss's face as he tried to pull the dagger out and strike again, only to find it jammed between two ribs. The treacherous Swan Knight tore away, taking the dagger with him as he tried to fall into the skiff but missed, bleeding heavily. Before he could draw another blade however, Khaloss faced the enraged Xandilif.
"NO!" she howled..."That bastard is MINE, not for some Haradrim Oliphant *ucker!!!!" SilverWand slashed back and forth, the ringing "shing-shing" sound echoing across the rain swept beach as Khaloss' eyes went wide in shock and horror, the great-sword cutting twice across his midsection with a noise like ripping silk. His expression clearly showed he had never envisioned this outcome. He looked down to see his intestines falling into the sand, then slowly looked back up at Xandilif...he tried to speak, but failed as his eyes went dark and he fell backwards into the red-tinged surf, the map of the defenses of Dol Amroth falling out of his hands to be destroyed in the bloody muck at his feet.
Thorongil of Dol Amroth, last son of a noble line of Gondor, traitor and murderer and rapist, pulled the dagger out of his side and let it fall, struggled to drag his way up onto the skiff where he had hidden weapons in case of need...but he was bleeding too badly to get far. Xandilif grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him onto his knees on the beach like so much garbage. The Swan Knight had one trick left to play however which had never failed him, slashing at the Champion with his last strength using a short, almost delicate elvish blade of last resort he had hidden in his sleeve, the crest of a family Xandilif did not recognize engraved on the length along with a single name, Cugedhiel. Xandilif didn't even bother to dodge, simply letting him lodge the blade in her heavy armor ineffectually.
She smiled. "Too little and too late, but nice knife...your daughter will like it as proof you are a thieving, backstabbing bastard."
The man stared, dumbfounded. "My daughter?? Fillegedhiel? This is HER doing??? That faithless whore, just like her bitch of a mother. I should have killed her too when I had the chance. How do you....?"
The champion laughed as Thorongil struggled to catch his breath, his mind spinning frantically. "She is in Bree you moron, or at least was for a long time. She is under the protection of my sister. I spoke to her once. A clever, gutsy girl is cute little Fille, better than you deserve."
The Swan Knight just shook his head, as if unable to truly comprehend what was happening any more than Khaloss could. "Bree...that stupid bitch...I can send...."
Xandilif rested SilverWand on the man's shoulder, and the traitor felt the strange, pulsing power that lived in the blade and grew pale. "No," she said, voice filled with cold, deadly scorn, "you can't send shit anymore."
The Champion left the blade where it was resting on his shoulder but drew herself up to attention, giving the moment the dignity it deserved.
"Thorongil of Dol Amroth, you stand accused of treason, conspiracy. murder and upsetting my sister, convicted by your own actions and words and now justice shall be done unto you."
Thorongil just stared, kneeling in his own blood, hia head growing light..."By what right????...who are you????"
When she spoke her voice was low and regal, her normal bravado absent as she intoned his fate. "I am Xandilif of Belfalas, Lieutenant of the Host of the West and Sword in service to King Elessar the Elfstone born of the line of Isildur. I am Warden of the Planes of Gorgoroth and Keeper of the Blade of Unsung Dooms. Last Sentry of Caerfalla Redoubt, Champion of Dol Amroth and Barad Dur and knight extraordinaire to Princess Lothiriel daughter of Imrahil. In my hands I bear the sacred right of high, middle and low justice, under the martial authority of King Elessar and Lord Elrond Half-elven of Imladris in times of war. "
She raised SilverWand slowly above his shoulder, and spoke in cold, slow, formal cadence. "Upon you is rendered High Justice, fallen Captain of Dol Amroth, in the name of your Prince, Imrahil of Dol Amroth... and that justice is death."
She left the body where it fell for the crabs, taking only the evidence of his crimes: the blade he bore, the treasure map he coveted...and his head.
The Nest and the Viper: Epilogue
