Eukara Vox
Legendary AdventureGuide!
|
A Closer Look at a Vartai Ruler
by Eukara
It isn't often that a reporter is given an opportunity as I was this month. My visit to the Vartai ruler, Cyrus, was absolutely one of the most intimidating assignments I have ever been given. Notebook and flower pen in hand, I made my way to the imposing castle Cyrus makes his home in.
As was expected, I was met by several very serious Vartai guards. Armed with well maintained weapons, complete with armor that shone as if newly made, they stopped me to ask what my business was with Cyrus. I showed them my invitation, feeling quite intimidated, hoping it passed their inspection. One guard in particular scrutinized it, and finally after what felt like an eternity, I was waved through the guard line and towards the door.
I was joined by a very strong looking individual who escorted me personally. He rapped on the door with the pommel of his sword, and it swung open slowly. After bowing slightly, indicating I should proceed first, he followed me in. I stepped in, where my jacket was taken by a quiet, yet well-mannered servant.
Led down what seemed like a never-ending hallway, I past some of the most exquisite examples of Vartai art. Historical pieces, from homebound decorations to professional grade masterpieces hung on walls or were displayed in glass cases. As my adventure led me further in to the castle, the rulers of times past watched my progress from their paintings hung on high.
Finally, I was led to the doorway into the library. The servant opened the door and I stepped through, careful not to venture too far in. He led the way to a chair in the middle of the vast library where he indicated I should sit and wait for Cyrus. Looking around, a vast reader like myself would have been caught spellbound by the sheer weight of the library. And I was... for the number of tomes would have supplied me with years of reading. The books were in varied states of use. Some were rough and worn (obvious favorites) where as others looked as pristine as the day they were printed and bound.
Curious, I got up from my seat once the servant had exited the room. Just what does a ruler like Cyrus read in his very spare time? The bookcases were divided by subject, covering all cultures of Lore. The history section held books on the lives of Elves, the expansion of the human race, the depths of Dwarven exploration, the rulers of Vartai... one in particular caught my attention and I pulled it from the shelf - "A History of the Northern Continent."
Flipping through the beautiful pictures and extensive text, I stopped about one third of the way into the book. Something caught my eye, and I decided to read into this part of the history. "The three year war ended amidst severe confusion. The Ice Trolls had fiercely guarded the one weapon that would put the icy realm under the oppressive hand of the rest of the known world - Inflamus Torchicus. It was extremely powerful, from the days when Darkness was the only light in the north. The fabled fire elemental weapon was feared by all those who called the glacial valleys their home. The Ice Trolls had wrested the weapon from the fire mages' hands, storing it deep within the cold lands. They guarded it for generations, all the while invading and abusing the people's and creatures that had begun to encroach on their lands.
"Those who called fire friend united and attacked, tired of the oppression of the Ice Trolls. The war was horrible on the world and the people. So much was destroyed that most leaders of the day feared the cold realms of Lore would never recover. They stormed the Ice fortresses of the Trolls, en masse, catching the giants unawares. The battle raged on for three days, causing the biggest slaughter of one group of sentient people in the history of Lore at that time. When the dust of battle settled, the land was riddled with the carcasses of dead Ice Trolls. The fire mages took control of the Inflamus Torchicus, thus beginning the slow restoration of the Northern Continent.
"Even until the publishing of this book, there is still a belief that the Ice Trolls were not obliterated, but do exist. Rumored tremors beneath the ice sheets of the far north have been explained away by the goings on of Ice Trolls in buried cities. There they sit and plot the demise of those who reign above them, setting up organised attacks on those figures that they resent for taking their world away. Periodically, events of strange proportions unfold - small attacks on villages, the continued harrassment of those who try to lead simple lives and the attempted destruction of Forryme, a place of convening minds, education and debate."
Forryme... I did not recall a Forryme on the Northern continent. This will require more research. Wishing there was more time, I reluctantly close the book and move on to a darker section of the library, one that my reporter eyes have had to endure numerous times - War. War litters our lives and land, making it logical for someone of Cyrus' status to own an extensive collection of books on the subject. One book in particular looked as if it had been pulled recently and I decided to dislodge it and look on the back. "The Ways of War" was a plain, dark colored bound hardback book. I opened it up to the preface, not desiring to read much of this one.
A particular section of the book's synopsis caught my eye. "When war wages, lives are forever changed. It matters not that the lives differ from each other, sometimes so drastically we cannot understand how we share a planet. The effects infiltrate our lives, affecting our present and future, disabling hopes and dreams and whether we win or not, loss is inevitable. Wars are started for various reasons, by various kinds of people. What are the ways of war and how do we utilize what we know for the future?"
I closed the book, wondering how long such a book is read. I moved over and found a larger section of fiction books, much more to my own preferences and perused the titles, trying to find one that fit my fancy. Although they all sounded perfectly wonderful, two extremely worn books caught my attention. The first was once a brightly covered book, but had faded to a muted red, after what seemed decades of handling. "The Adventures of S'Ravi the Red, As Told By Jadek Ferrilis." I remembered hearing about this character on more than one occasion during my travels as a reporter. If only I could sit down and read this book.
Reluctantly, I moved on to another well-worn book. "Folk Tales and Legends From the Northern Races (Unabridged and Mostly Translated)" is one of the rare treasures for book hunters. I gently eased the book out of its place and began to open it, giddy that I had in my hand a book that I had coveted for years, one that I would have loved to sneak out of the library. But I prized my life and body, and so I resisted the temptation and returned it to its place.
It was then that Cyrus walked in, plates in hand, followed by a servant with drinks. He motioned for me to follow him, leading the way to a small recess behind some book cases in the back of the library. Stepping through the door, I found myself in a cozy room with some simple, yet comfortable chairs and a fireplace. The drinks were placed on a small table between two of the chairs and Cyrus handed me a plate and fork.
A slight smile crossed his lips as he asked me to sit, only lowering himself into his chair after I had made myself comfortable. In the ensuing silence, we ate cake, drank tea and I looked around this modest annex. The room wasn't flashy, but more like something you would find in a normal home. The fire made it cozy, and by the time I was halfway through my cake, I was wishing I had brought in the Folk Tales book.
Our evening went smoothly, as we talked about everything literary in nature. Favourite writing styles and genres, favourite authors and concepts, literary devices that we found intriguing or annoying. Then the topic moved towards desserts, and I found that the lemon cake that we were enjoying was his favourite thing to eat while relaxing. All things lemon interested him, due to the particular difficulty in growing them so far north. Finding desserts and dishes with lemons in his part of the world was rare, but lemon cake is considered the best.
The evening went long into the night, yet it felt like it had only begun. After we had finished eating our cake and drinking the tea, he gave me a more thorough tour of his library. The literary works were astonishing. Elvish poetry from so long ago, Dwarvish plays (bet you didn't see that coming!), Orc fairytales and Drakel technology records.
At the end, we stood facing the shelf I stood at when he first entered. The Folk Tales book stood out, taunting me almost. This section, he told me, was his favourite. He longed to sit and read exciting stories and fantastic tales for hours on end, without the cares of a kingdom on his shoulders. Sometimes he got that, and sometimes... well, life is hectic when you rule a tremendous people.
He pulled the book and thumbed through it. This book provided an interesting insight into the thoughts of humans, he said, something that he found fascinating. Through all of it, it still captured his interest in a fantastic escape... something that, as he pointed out, is necessary for anyone who has such pressures upon their heads.
I thanked him for the evening, the talk and the cake. His smile returned again and he walked me to the front door. A servant helped me get my coat on, and as I stepped outside into the cold night, Cyrus stood in the doorway. Gently holding the Folk Tales book in his hands, he told me that if I ever wanted to read his book, I was welcome back.
Lemon Cake:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
8 egg yolks
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
4. To make the hot lemon glaze: In a saucepan, combine 3 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Keep mixture warm until ready to use.
5. To make the Icing Glaze: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar. If mixture is too thin, add more sugar until desired consistency is reached.
6. Assemble the cake: Pour 3/4 of hot lemon glaze over warm cake while it's in the pan. Let cake cool for 60 minutes, then remove from pan. Reheat the remaining hot lemon glaze to the boiling point, then brush glaze onto the top and sides with a pastry brush. Using a fork, drizzle Icing Glaze over cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
< Message edited by Eukara -- 10/5/2009 15:30:16 >
|
Printable Version
Icon Legend
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread
