Dialogue Essay: The Sacrifice, By U. K.

When he got to his room, dinner was waiting for him and he wondered why he was not eating at the feasting hall, but the aroma coming from the table quickly made that an irrelevant question. Famished, he immediately sat and took his first bites when a knock came upon his door and reluctantly got up to open the door, only to find Balthazar, who he invited him in, asking if he would care to join him for dinner, but he replied that he had already eaten, however, he would gladly share a pint while Mangus ate and they talked. He poured Balthazar a pint and both sat while Mangus continued eating, as Balthazar explained that Parsis had taken notice of the recent activity surrounding the manor and the town of Banniff and anticipated that they would …show more content…
Mangus reluctantly stayed in his room. Balthazar was probably right and it would work out better if they did not know he existed, but his curiosity overwhelmed his common sense and he opened his door, hearing voices coming from the great room downstairs. Cautiously, he moved closer to the stairs leading down to the room where he stood in the shadows, hoping to hear the details of the conversation taking place. Straining to hear, he could distinguish Balthazar’s voice asking the man who he was and why he was here. “I am Captain Marquest of the Parsis Royal Army, here under the King’s directive to investigate the rumors that have been circulating for the last several weeks. Banniff, until recently, was a ghost town in neutral territory, belonging to no kingdom. With its sudden resurgence, Parsis wishes to rectify that situation and his majesty wishes to provide protection with his generous purchase of the town and manor from whoever is its heir.” Balthazar’s reply adhered to polite decorum. “The owner of this castle died many years ago, as everyone well knows, and the land deeded to his kin. It is not for sale, for any