Chapter 4 Chapter 2 Temptation

She was bouncing along the alley like a little girl, when in fact, obviously, a young girl.Glossy black hair danced around her shoulders, her green eyes shone brightly, and there was a delighted smile on her beautiful face. She was going to talk to him, to Jaka Scully, with his passionate blue eyes and his curly brown hair, a tuft of which still hung over the bridge of his nose.Just to talk to him made her jump up and down the road that could have been fine, made her forget that the mud in the potholes spread on her old shoes, or that tonight she would find it on her parents' desk. The bland food in her wooden bowl.It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter the bugs, it doesn't matter the dirty water, it doesn't matter.She was about to talk to Jaka, and this solitude made her feel warm, tense, and afraid, as if she were living in that moment.

As the old saying goes, when things in life don't turn out the way they want, the other pair of eyes she met when she was thinking about Jaka excitedly put an end to her happiness. Lord Feringal Oak found that after he was past twenty-four his heart would start beating when he saw many girls of every color, most of whom were looking for another in northwestern Luskan. A safe haven for the merchants' daughter.And this safe haven village was near the busiest passage to the Spine of the World, so they could resupply and rest during the perilous journey to Ten-Towns in Icewind Dale. As Feringo Okla lifted the windows of his ornate carriage, he found it more difficult than ever to steady his breathing, in fact he was panting almost all the time.

"Ferry, the wind is full of yellow dust from those pines," said the voice of Priscilla, Feringo's older sister.Only she called Feringo Orkney Fury, and he had been furious about it. "The dust is wafting into the wagon! That stuff's thick enough to make us sneeze. You know how bad it is—" The girl stopped and looked at her brother more carefully, especially his blank look. "Ferry?" she asked, sliding close to him on the chair, grabbing his elbow and shaking, "Ferry?" "Who is she?" asked the Lord of Orkney, not even hearing what his sister said. "Who is that angelic creature, the descendant of the beautiful goddess, the purest image a man desires, the incarnation of temptation?"

Priscilla pushed her brother aside and thrust her head out of the carriage window. "What, a country girl?" she asked suspiciously, with a palpable contempt in her tone. "I must know," Lord Feringal sang rather than said.The profile of his face was immersed in the edge of the carriage window, and his fixed gaze was fixed on the bouncing young girl.She jumped out of his sight as the carriage accelerated onto a curvy road. "Fry!" Priscilla scolded.She moved as if to slap her brother awake, but something she noticed for a brief moment forced her to stop. The Orkney lord's loving expression shifted, and he stared lifelessly, even dangerously, at his sister long enough. "I must know who she is," he insisted.

Priscilla Oake sat back in her seat and said nothing more, though she was indeed taken aback by her brother's sudden display of affection.Usually Feringal has always been a gentle, quiet person who is easy to be controlled and used by his shrew sister fifteen years his senior.Priscilla is now approaching her fortieth birthday, and she's not married yet.In fact, meeting her material needs is far greater than her interest in men.Their mother died after giving birth to Feringal, and five years later their father followed in her footsteps, leaving Priscilla to run the fief with her father's advisor Temigast until Feringal. Ringo has reached the legal age of inheritance.Priscilla had always been content with this arrangement, for until Feringal came of age, and even now, almost ten years later, her voice remained firmly in the Orkney family.She would never want to bring anyone else into the family, and felt that Fury should be like her too.

Priscilla scowled one last time in the direction of the young girl, though she was out of sight.Their carriage walked slowly across a stone arched bridge that pointed out to the protected bay facing the isle of Orkney Castle. Like the obscure Orkney family, this village of two hundred people hardly shows that there are twelve rooms in the keep, one belongs to Temigest, and of course, there are five rooms that live here and serve half a dozen servants and ten soldiers.Because of the strong winds that always blow in Orkney, the castle's foundations are anchored by a pair of low, thick towers rising only fifteen feet above the main building.A very common joke here is that if the wind stops, all the villagers will fall forward because they are used to walking at an angle.

"I should be out and about more often," insisted Lord Feringal, as he and his sister crossed the hall into the sitting room, where old butler Temigast sat painting his seemingly forever painting. One of the endless seascape paintings. "You mean to go to the village properly?" Priscilla said with obvious sarcasm, "or to those remote peat yards? Whichever it is, it's so dirty and full of mud and stones." "It's in those muds that a jewel can shine brighter than anything else." The lord who fell in love insisted, with a deep sigh. The butler who heard this strange conversation raised an eyebrow and looked up from his painting.Temigest had lived most of his youth in Waterdeep, and had come to Orkney thirty years ago as a middle-aged man.Compared with the isolated people of Orkney (including their ruling family), Temigast has seen the world, so he has easily won the local feudal lord, Tristan Ork. With Ke's favor, he jumped to the position of chief consultant and then housekeeper in one fell swoop.Temigast was worldly now, and he recognized at once the motive of Feringal's sigh, and understood its inner meaning.

"She's just a girl," Priscilla grumbled, "a child, and one of those dirty ones." She looked to Temigast for support, as she saw the old butler turning his attention to their conversation. "I'm afraid Feringal is in deep trouble," she explained, "with a farmer. The lord of Orkney wants a dirty, smelly country girl." "Indeed," replied Temigast, with feigned horror.In his estimation, and even by anyone who was not from Orkney, the so-called "Lord of Orkney" was himself no more than a country farmer.The history is as follows: the castle was built six hundred years ago by the Dougniest family, who ruled here for the first two centuries.After marriage, the ruling power went to the hands of the Oak family.

But what are they really ruling over?Orkney lies just south of the westernmost edge of the Spine of the World, a very marginal position on the trade routes.Most of the caravans traveling between Ten-Towns and Luskan avoided this place, while some took the more direct route through the mountains a few miles to the east.Even those who do not have the guts to cross the savage, desolate and indefensible region to the east of Orkney often take another route, past the harbor town of Hydal's Stone, whose population is Orkney's. Six times, and more Supplies and Artisans can be found from there.

Even a coastal village, Orkney was too far north for the trading ships.Occasionally a boat - usually one of those fishing from Fireshear to the southern cities of the mainland - is blown into the small harbor near Orkney by high winds and needs repairs.Some of those fishermen had stayed in this fief, but since people found out how rascal the fief lord Dougnester and his men were—the reason for their exile here was the middle class rule in Waterdeep A small power game failure in the family - the population here has never changed.The current population is close to 200, which is already the largest in history (mostly from the dwarves who flowed here from Hyder Stone Town), but usually not even half of this number.Most of the villagers are related, often quite intricately, with the exception of the Orcs, who often choose a bride or groom of foreign blood.

"Can't you find a suitable wife for you from one of those Luskan families with good blood?" A large dowry." "Wife?" Temigast chuckled. "Aren't we thinking a little too soon?" "Not at all," insisted Feringalland quietly, "I love her. I know I love her." "Stupid!" Priscilla began to wail, but Temigast patted her on the shoulder to calm her down, and he kept giggling. "Of course you can, my lord," said the steward, "but I'm afraid I would say that a nobleman's marriage is very difficult to connect with love, it is always related to status, alliance and wealth." Temigest explained gently. Feringal's eyes widened: "I love her!" the young lord emphasized. "Then consider her a mistress," suggested Temigast modestly, "a toy. Surely at least one of these is what a man of your stature deserves." Feringal found it hard to make any more sounds in his throat, and he shuffled on the flagstones into his room, from which came a stormy roar. "Did you kiss him?" Torrey asked, giggling at the thought to himself.She was the younger of the two Gandeley sisters, only eleven years old, and she was just beginning to understand the subtleties of the relationship between men and women, and she was being accelerated in this area by her sister Meralda, who was six years older than her. , the older sister was infatuated with Jaka Scully, and was intoxicated by his handsome features, long eyelashes and melancholy blue eyes. "No, of course I won't," Meralda replied, throwing her long black hair back from her olive-skinned face, that beautiful face, that was unconsciously Captured the heart of the Lord of Orkney for a while. "But you want that," Torrey teased her, bursting into laughter, and Meralda joined in, as far as she could admit. "Oh, but I did not kiss him," said the sister. "And you want to touch him," her sister continued teasing, "Oh, hold him and kiss him! Honey, Jaka sweetheart." Torrey ended her words with a heavy kissing sound, while Arms folded in front of chest, hands grabbing his shoulders and turning in circles, making it look like he was being hugged by someone. "Stop!" Meralda said, jokingly patting Slow on the back. "But you didn't even kiss him," Torrey complained. "If you want to, why don't you? Doesn't he want to?" "Make him expect more of it," my sister explained. "Make him think about me all the time. Make him dream of me." "But if you want to kiss him—" "I want more than that," Meralda explained, "and if I make him wait, then I can make him beg me when the time comes, and once I make him beg me, then I can I can get what I want from him and more." "More of what?" Torrey asked, visibly confused. "Become his wife." Meralda declared without reservation. Torrey almost fainted.She snatched her straw pillow and slapped her sister in the face. "Oh, you can't!" she cried, a little too loudly. The bedroom curtains were pulled back to reveal their father, Denis Dognest, a ruddy man whose skin had been bruised by the sun and the dirt, muscular from his work in the peat yard. Turned tan. "You should have gone to bed long ago," Denis reproached. Together the two girls slipped under the rough, straw-stuffed duvet cover and pushed it up to their chins, laughing and giggling. "Now, I don't want to hear that stupid laugh at all!" Denis yelled, landing hard among them like a hunting beast, and the ensuing wrestling and scuffling eventually turned into a fight between the two. A hug shared between two daughters and their loving father. "Now, go to bed, you two," Denis said softly after a while. "Your mother is not feeling well, and your laughter will wake her up." He left the room after kissing them both.The two girls had so much respect for their father and concern for their mother, who was indeed feeling more ill than usual, that they stopped their private conversation. Meralda's promise makes Torrey strange and nervous.While she's not sure if her sister will marry and move out, she's excited to see herself grow into a woman like her sister. Lying beside her sister, Meralda's thoughts were just as she expected.She'd kissed boys a long time ago, lots of them in fact, but it was always out of curiosity or just for a challenge from her buddies.And this was the first time she really wanted to kiss someone.How she wanted to kiss Jaka Scully!Kissing him, fingers stroking his curly brown hair, then falling softly on his soft, beardless cheek, while his hands caressed her thick hair, her face... Meralda fell into a sweet dream. In a room where there were not so many doors to draft, Lord Feringal lay comfortably on his soft feather pillows in the comfortable bed.He fancied his dream, and got the girl out of the village, where he could stretch his own position and power, and do whatever he wanted without being harassed by his sister or old Temigast. put one's oar in. Perhaps he was thinking too much, and Feringal found himself restless in his huge, soft bed, and soon his legs were twisting and twisting the feather-filled quilt.Luckily he grabbed a pillow as that was the only thing that kept him from slamming onto the hard floor as he rolled over the edge of the bed. Feringal finally freed himself from the confusion on the bed, and paced the room scratching his head, feeling his nerves more excited than ever.See what this charming woman did to him? "A cup of warm goat's milk," he muttered loudly, thinking that should calm him down and give him a good night's sleep.Feringal emerged from his room and began to descend the narrow stairs.Halfway there he heard voices coming from below. He paused, recognizing the nasal tone of Priscilla's voice, followed by a burst of laughter from his sister and from old wheezing Temigast.Something made Feringal uncomfortable, some sixth sense telling him that he was the subject of the joke.He tiptoed down, passed the edge of the ceiling on the ground floor, and quickly lowered his head to the shadow of the stone railing. There Priscilla was knitting on a divan, and old Temigast sat opposite her in a straight chair with a glass of whiskey in his hand. "Oh, but I love her," Priscilla wailed, stopping her sewing and brushing her hand dramatically across her forehead, "I can't live without her!" "Haven't these years passed so well?" Temigast replied with airs. "But I'm tired, good housekeeper," Priscilla replied, obviously mocking her brother, "how hard it is to make love alone!" Temigast choked on his drink and coughed, while Priscilla broke out into a fit of laughter. Feringal could bear it no longer.He rushed down the stairs, roaring furiously, "Enough! Enough is enough!" Shocked, the two of them bit their lips and turned to look at him, though Priscilla couldn't stop herself from laughing one last time. Lord Feringal glared at her, his fists clenched at his sides, the once mild-mannered man now looking like he was about to rage like none of them had ever seen. "How dare you?" He trembled his lips and gritted his teeth when he asked, "Laugh at me like this!" "Just a little joke, my lord," Temigast explained in a feeble voice, trying to lighten the mood, "nothing else." Feringal ignored the steward's explanation and turned his anger on his sister: "Do you know what love is?" he screamed at Priscilla, "You've never had lust in your poor life thought. You can't even imagine what it's like to lie down with a man, can you, dear sister?" "You know less than you think." Priscilla pushed back, throwing off her knitting and starting to stand.But just because of Temigast's hand on her lap, she sat back down.She was quite calm about this, and the expression of the old guy was a clear hint that she was required to be careful with her words in order to preserve a certain secret between the two of them. "My dear Lord Feringal," began the steward calmly, "there is nothing wrong with your requests. On the contrary, I should take them as a good sign, if it be delayed. I have no doubt of your heart." Aching for this country girl, but I assure you that she is your mistress. I would say, among the former lords of Orkney, and indeed in many kingdoms There is precedent for this type of behavior." Feringal gave a long, meaningful sigh and shook his head at Temigest, who was pacing slowly. "I love her," he repeated, "don't you understand?" "You don't even know her," Priscilla interjected defiantly. "She's a coal digger, no doubt, with dirty fingers." Feringal took a menacing step towards her, but Temigast moved between them with considerable speed for his age, nudging the young man back into a chair with a gentle elbow. "I trust you, Feringal. You love her, and you want to save her." The words confused Feringal: "Save?" he repeated blankly. "Of course," said Temigast, "you are a lord, a great man of Orkney, and only you have the power to lift this country girl from her poverty and hardship." Feringal remained in the puzzled position for only a moment, then he said, "Yes, yes," with a few nods. "I've seen this before," said Temigast, shaking his head. "Wanting to save some farmer or something is a very common ailment among young lords. It will pass. Lord Feringal, after a short break you'll find plenty of girls who will satisfy you and satisfy you." "You're belittling my feelings," Feringal reprimanded. "I speak the truth," replied Temigast quickly. "No!" insisted Feringal. "How can you know my feelings, old chap? You have never loved a woman before you suggest such a thing. You don't know what's burning inside me." This statement looked like a shock to the old butler's nerves, but for some reason Temigast fell silent, his lips pursed thinly.He moved back to his chair, where he was uncomfortable, and stared at Feringal intently and expressionlessly. The young lord felt that the flame of life in his body had never been so strong, and he did not meet that unforgettable gaze. "I would not take her for a mistress," he said resolutely, "never. She is the woman I should love forever, the woman who should be my wife, lord of Oak Castle." "Fry!" Priscilla screamed, fear and pain in her voice. The young lord decided, as usual, to ignore his haughty sister's demands, and turned and snarled back to the sanctuary—his own room.He was careful to remind himself not to run away like he usually did when confronting his shrew sister, and his present appearance gave himself a dignified, stern, regal air.He understands that he is a man now. "He's an obsessed madman," Priscilla said to Temigast when they heard Feringal's door close. "He just took a look at the girl from afar." Temigest didn't seem to be listening to her, and didn't express anything.Stubborn Priscilla slid her knees off the couch and stood in front of the person in the chair. "He only saw her once," she repeated, forcing Temigast's attention. "Sometimes that's enough," replied the butler quietly. Priscilla calmed down and stared hard at the old fellow, the man who had secretly shared his bed with her since the dawn of her femininity.Despite their long-standing physical intimacy, Temigast never shared his heart with Priscilla except once, and only briefly, when he spoke of My own life in Waterdeep before coming to Orkney to speculate.The conversation stopped shortly thereafter, but only after a woman's name was mentioned.Priscilla had always suspected that the woman meant more to Temigast than he pretended.Now, she realizes that the butler has fallen into a memory influenced by her brother's announcement of her eternal love. The woman turned away from him, jealous rage burning inside her, but as always, she quickly drove it away by remembering her lot and the joys in her life.Temigast's past might have softened his determination to stop Feringal from running away with the country girl, but Priscilla had no intention of accepting her brother's impulsive decision just like that.She had been so comfortable with the arrangements at Oak Castle over the years that the last thing she wanted now was for the country girl, or her reeking peasant family, to move far away. It was not long before Temigast went to bed, and he declined Priscilla's invitation to share the bed.The old man's thoughts slid far away to a woman he knew decades ago, a woman who stole his heart and died young, and from that day on, nothing but bitterness remained in his heart and cynicism. Temigast did not realize the depth of those feelings until he remembered his own disbelief and disregard for Lord Feringal's obvious feelings.What a despicable old guy I was back then. He sat in a chair by the narrow window overlooking Orkney's harbour.The moon had long since come out, and under the starry sky one could see shadowy spray on the cold, dark water.Temigest, like Priscilla, had never seen his young master so alive and excited, so full of fire and life.Feringal was always in a dark mood, a feeling of perpetual lifelessness, but from the way the young man had just stormed downstairs to declare his love for the peasant girl and the way he spoke to his intimidating sister Look, he's no longer dozing off. That thought brought a smile to Temigast's face.Perhaps Oak Castle needs such a fire now; perhaps it is time to shake the place and its fiefdom.Perhaps a little courage from the Lords of Orkney will elevate this oft-overlooked village to the same status as its more famous neighbors, Hydal's Rock and Fireshear.Never before had a lord of Orkney married a farmer in the village.There are simply too few people in this place, most of them are resident families who have lived here for centuries, and some may be serfs brought in by the ruling class, but there is no doubt that Feringo's actions are It's sure to be controversial. But at the time the sheer courage of the young lord looked like he was going to fight a coalition of opponents, so Temigast decided to watch the event and find out Who that country girl might be, see if you can plan something.