The Knights' Roleplay - War Ascending

[Shadaras]

Shade rose from where she had been sitting as Wolf entered the throne room, acknowledging him with a slight bow. "My lord, I am ready to leave as soon as you are," she said, moving closer to her lord. For once, she wore formal clothing over her armour, rather than the simple shirt and pants that were normal for her. Deep brown clothing, edged with bronze, and with a bird, one that could be considered either the kestrel of Dunburrow or the phoenix she normally wore, displayed in bronze over her heart.

Savucu, of course, still hung by her side, along with a simple dagger. Shade’s left hand kept straying to Savucu’s hilt, and judging by the look of her hair, Shade had been running her fingers through it quite a bit. I am going to hate this, she thought, trying to act calm despite all the thoughts running though her head. I am going to screw something up. I know it. I mean, I never learned anything about diplomacy. But Lord Wolf wouldn’t have made me the Envoy if he didn’t think I were suited to it. Shade shook her head, dispelling all the thoughts. Only time would tell.

[Kat]

Kalianne Triss sighed, stretching out her arms as she stood before the library doors. After she had been allowed to leave the infirmary, having recovered from an encounter with a rogue maid, she had busied herself with keeping up-to-date with her magic tricks and honing her swordsmanship, for fear of becoming rusty, physically and magically. Now, she was searching for a book on advanced fire magic that she did not have in her collection - or more appropriately, she was never allowed to take out of the library.

She grinned. There was a reason why it had to stay there, but she was curious...even if she did know that curiosity killed the cat - or Kat. Pushing one door open with a rather pronounced creak, she looked around, scanning the premises for the right shelves.

[fuzzbucket]

Sir Fuzz wandered the halls wondering what to do now. "I guess I'll stay here and protect the castle from thingies with evil intentions." He thought to himself as he walked into his quarters. "I have a feeling that the fact that this 'presence' appeared shortly before the caravan ventured to our doorstep is not a coincedence..."

[Bacon]

Lyardel grew restless in the stables. Knowing something bad was coming, he ran around in circles as much as the confines of the stall allowed. He whinnied a panicked cry.

[Dice]

Lady Emma shifted uncomfortably. "A very small, extremely basic knowledge."

"That is still more than I have," Pyro said with a small smile and a nod. "I'm non-magical, you see...however, I'm sure that we can get through these books, sorcery or none. Without any adverse affects to our eyes, of course."

The Black Knight was just scribbling down another defense spell that looked rather promising when she heard the library doors creak. She frowned, running through a mental checklist of the knights in her head. Most of them were away...and servants usually didn't enter the library. She rubbed her hand across her eyes for a second, blinking away the lines of text trying to ingrain themselves into her memory, and stood.

"Hello?" She stopped her hand from automatically drifting to the hilt of her sword. "Who's there?"

[Kat]

"Hello? Who's there?"

Kat knew that a library must always be silent, but then again, sometimes you just had to make yourself heard.

"It is I, Kat, the Purple Knight. Where are you...Lady Pyro, I presume?"

[fuzzbucket]

Sir Fuzz walked along the tops of the outer walls. He had come for fresh air but when he got there one of his habits took over. In his mind he ran over countless defense plans for protecting against siege. He envisioned hoardes of soldiers camping outside the castle. Militia lined the walls waiting for the fight to come. Sir Fuzz shook his head. "Okay that's it. No more milkshakes before bed!" Sir Fuzz said to himself.

[Tirilia]

The creaking door of the library alerts her to the presence of at least someone.. Thank the Gods.. I was beginning to think this place was a ghost town Determined, she turns towards the sound.

[Deleted]

(( After much ado, I present to you, the latest in the Knights' Guild Roleplay, War Ascending. *bows* ))

Wolf nodded to himself and knew it was time to head down to the Council Chamber. Already, the shadows in the room had shifted more than they should have. Nevertheless, if they left now, they should still arrive on time. Wolf felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t want to leave at all.

But he knew ignoring Alec would not make him go away. If anything, ignoring him would make him attack. And at all costs, that had to be avoided.

Wolf waved his hand to go and said, “Let’s set out.” He couldn’t stand to see the faces of his gathered Knights, so instead he just started walking, at the head of the group but feeling nothing like a leader.

Soon enough, they’d break free of the castle and walk through the city to the chamber.

Then, he’d be faced with the biggest decisions of his life.

* * *

A small legion of guards dressed in green and brown and adorned with brushed-pewter— and white-silver—plated armor met the the General’s party at the city gates. General Alec felt like snarling at them, but in the spirit of good diplomacy, he chose not to. After all, if things went well, he’d be spending a few nights here and these very men could be his appointed bodyguards. Mustn’t anger them then, should he?

The outer ring of the city hardly appeared regal enough to be the capital, but nonetheless, Alec withheld his contempt. The wide dirt paths seemed to stretch far ahead of him and curve around the city’s outer wall, and he assumed, far enough along the path of merchants now standing watch at his passing party, there would be housing for all the peasant folk of the city. How typical. Did the King even know what suffering his own people experienced but meters from where he ate and slept and bathed and frolicked with his fellow knights?

Apparently not, Alec decided as they rose into another tier of the city, one with paved stone paths and clearly populated by a richer people than the ones he’d seen but moments before.

The guards escorting them stopped and changed formation to lead them to the left, and obediently, Alec and his crew followed. He merely hoped the easterner at least had the decency to keep in line. Regardless, he was admiring the line of short trees growing beside the inner walk to his left when Casandra hissed at him and he looked up at her; she nodded to the right, and when he turned, he saw that they were nearing the Council Chamber at last.

The building was rather rectangular, made of the same aged white stone as the rest of the city walls, with a roof that simply sang of skilled artistry. After he’d dismounted, a guard asked if he wanted his horse taken to the stables; Alec kindly declined, said his horse was trained enough to behave just fine where he was. He eyed Casandra and grinned; she would know to do the same. Hopefully, the easterner would catch on. If her horse were taken to the stables and they were forced to make a quick departure, she’d more than likely be left behind than share a steed with either Casandra or himself, and he’d much rather deal with her pestering presence than relinquish her knowledge to the king.

Within only a few minutes, they had been led into the building and were entering the audience chamber itself. As they were led into the center of the room, he heard a few gasps and murmurring; he looked up and saw a small mob of nobles seated in a viewing chamber above. How kind.

He turned ahead again and continued towards a large mahogany table that seemed to stretch almost entirely across the chamber. Beyond that, raised some feet off the ground, a railed semi-circle rose and behind the railing were seats for the council, some of them filled; the king, however, stood off to the right, watching him. Most peculiar, however, was the table that sat at the circle's center; it was white and embossed, edged with gold, and looked strangely out of place.

The king now descended a small staircase and walked to the far-side of the misplaced table; it seemed he wanted Alec to join him. How quaint, two diplomats sitting face to face with their councils behind them. Regardless, Alec didn’t feel like disobeying a direct order so soon and joined the king at the table. Ha, he looked even younger than the rumors had said. Nevertheless, when he offered his hand, Alec shook it, and almost simultaneously, they took their seats.

* * *

Wolf faced Alec and hoped he couldn’t hear his heart beating. Wolf himself could hardly hear anything over it; he could see the world just clearly, could see everything just fine, even the one woman in Alec’s council that appeared strangely foreign compared to the rest, but he couldn’t even hear his own thoughts over the horrendous din of his own heart.

But worst of all, he didn’t know a single thing to say.

(( Please, SOMEONE have SOMEONE say SOMETHING! …Yeah, that about sums it up. >.> ))

[Deleted]

Fenrix followed, sitting straight as a lance the entire ride into Dunburrow. Despite the humble city, it was beautiful, everything she had heard, and it only furthered her resolve to stay. She had no more need for the westerners. When a guard offered to take her horse, she shook her head and mearly hooked Hava's reins over a sapling. "Stay alert." She murmured to the horse, rubbing it's nose with her hands.

Now she regally followed, resisting the urge to make faces at the back of Casandra's head. The woman was simply unbearable. But the council room quickly took up her attention. It was vast, and so beautiful! As if the outside was only a taste of what Dunburrow had become. Fenrix took a small breath, placing a hand on her curved blade.

And the king was no doubt the most beautiful thing there. For a man, he had such fine features. Fenrix blushed and was glad for her dark skin, it hid it well. Before taking her seat she bowed low in the eastern style, one knee bent and the forehead touching the knee that was not bent, and spoke in a clear voice.

"My Lord, the Eastern Clan Akaba would like to thank you for your hospitality." She said, inclining her head gracefully. Tilting her head just the slightest she shot Casandra and Alec a coy smile. That'll teach them, she thought. I am not pet monkey for them to order around on a string. "I speak only for my clan, and not for the esteemed General Alec. but it is my wish to offer you, The Lord and majesty of Dunburrow, a gift in friendship." She stood and realized she was almost a head taller than the king.

"A prime hunting falcon from the best eastern breeders. I carried the little thing over myself." She said. "She will aid you in hunting, and is a quick little sight seer. She will serve you well, as my own hawk has. It is my wish that you only look kindly on my Clan in the east." Only after she said her piece, did she take her seat on the left side of the general, smiling to herself. She had said what she had come for, and the day was still young.

[Deleted]

Thankfully, Wolf didn't have to say anything. The dark-skinned woman stood up and spoke to him, thanking him for their hospitality on behalf of her clan and offering him a gift, a falcon no less. He wondered, did she know such was the emblem of Dunburrow?

Wolf smiled and then the woman sat back down. He turned to face Alec and saw a vein pulsing on his forehead, but said nothing of it.

"General Alec," Wolf began slowly, "it is a pleasure to finally be able to meet you. I...suspect we have much to talk about. The...the fighting in the south, what can you tell me of it?"

(( Anyone feel free to interject for Alec. ^_^ ))

[Bacon]

Sir Bacon watched the negotiations with little interest. He studied General Alec's face, trying to remember if he recognized him. The day his Order of knights was murdered, and even the events leading up to it, were now just a blur.

The bits and peices he remembered about the assassin unfortunately had little to offer in the areas of facial recognition, but the fighting style -the fighting style that easily defeated Sir Ranciron the Quick while he was weilding two swords and a sheild- that was hard to forget, yet equally hard to analyze for weakness.

Sir Bacon decided to look over Alec's other troops to see if any of them looked at all familiar. The octo-axe weighed on his back heavily. It itched for vengeance, hummed with recognition of the evil-doer, or else it was only in Sir Bacon's head.

[Deleted]

Alec clenched his fist as the easterner spoke. That wench--did she have it out for him? Wait till the moment he sat down to stand up and speak, to offer the king a gift. What, was she courting him or something?

It mattered not, he decided. He'd simply have to present the king with a gift far greater than any hatchling. Hell, perhaps he'd present him the easterner herself, she was being enough trouble. No, no, she was too much trouble as it already was, and if she were, in fact, a spy—

That was it. She was a spy, and her offering had merely been a code; after all, she carried no falcon in her hands, and she'd said nothing of leaving it with her horse or in the tents. And the falcon was the sign of Dunburrow, wasn't it? Yes, it was. It had to have been a message then, but what did it mean?

Did it mean he was peaceful, that they should ally? Or did it mean he was an enemy and should be slaughtered like a pig for breakfast?

Alec glanced around, feeling eyes on him. A number of knights, these in colored mantles, stood around the chamber; he was rather surprised he hadn't noticed them any sooner. One of them was staring directly at him, making him feel unsettled and uneasy. But he looked away and it passed. Perhaps it was simply indigestion, perhaps the bacon he'd eaten for breakfast had it in for him.

"The war..."

Alec whipped around to face the young king. How long had he been speaking?

"Ah, yes," Alec said, his heart throbbing in his chest, "the war." He fiddled his fingers beneath the table and hoped at least a hint of color still remained in his face. "It of is our deepest concern," he said thoughtlessly, "that the war is settled quickly and peacefully. You're a large nation, the largest in the area, and we would hate to have to butt heads."

Butt heads?! What was he thinking?

[Shadaras]

Shade almost asked Lord Wolf if he was alright as they set out, but thought better of it. If he had any thoughts to share, Wolf would share them. And he was probably just nervous. Shade was only just keeping hold of calmness herself, after all, and Wolf had more duties than she. Not that that made her feel better about it.

Stepping outside, into fresh, open air, returned some of Shade’s confidence to her. If it did come to a fight, they had the advantage against whoever represented the army. But for most of the walk, Shade just tried to keep herself calm, hoping that any effect of that was carry over to the meeting, when she’d really need it.

As they entered the Council Chamber, Shade let everyone else enter first, though she claimed the seat directly on his right. She didn’t sit immediately, however, but remained standing as the easterner bowed and spoke, only sitting down when she did. Shade didn’t speak just yet, preferring to listen to the discussion until she had something useful to say.

* * *

At his words, the knight seated next to the king shook her head. “Unless our information is incorrect, then you lead at least part of the army. And you brought this war to our borders. Doesn’t that mean that you have the power to stop it?”

Alec sighed. This was going to be a troublesome negotiation to begin with, at least. “Yes, I have power. But as you can see, I am here, not at the lines of battle.” Alec waved his hand in an unconcerned gesture. “But as it happens, I can send a message to my fellow generals if need be. Magical, of course. But that doesn’t matter right now,” he said, slamming both hands onto the table and looking at the king. “What matters is knowing what you plan to do about the war.”

The knight next to the king seemed to be on the verge of speaking again, but stayed quiet. Good, Alec thought. It wouldn’t do for the king’s council to be more outspoken than the king himself, after all.

((As you ask, so shall you recieve, my lord.))

[zarikrahia]

Ow.

Zari stared at the ceiling, trying to gather up herself like she would a puzzle. A deep breath. Another. Knees up. Elbows. Owmyback. Standing. Good. Zari turned to the mirrow and shreiked in alarm. Staring back at her was...something. More than one person. Crap. Her reflection blinked and shook its long arms as she did. But behind it were a mass of people, animals even all glaring at her. Chanting soundlessly. [i[Let us out![/i] Her unkempt reflection sighed along with her as she stepped away from the mirror and took out her notebook. As soon as it opened as mass of colour leapt out of it. It formed itself into several people, stretching, yawning, walking around. 'You really need to brush your hair.' one remarked. Zari glared at her. 'Alright. Go. Have some fun. I'll sit here and quietly began to grow mould.' They all vanished, presumably wandering around. Thank Sky they were mostly invisible. She sat down and rubbed her eyes. 'Ye gods, listen to my prayers for once, what did I do to offend?'