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Post by Kat on Mar 20, 2008 8:24:41 GMT -5
Kalianne Triss Lunara sighed, walking through the corridors of the castle. There was a meeting and she didn't know about it; typical. After all, she had been holed up in her room yet again, trying to practice a new spell.
Turning a corner, she found...absolutely no one. Her only company consisted only of the suits of armor all around the castle.
This was stupid.
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Post by Dice on Mar 22, 2008 16:13:33 GMT -5
((Psst, Kat, I thought the meeting was outside the Castle >_>)) "However... I might be able to assist if you need more mana for your spells," SILE added, thinking that Pyro might need more help in magic rather than guarding. "... Giving up mana for another individual counts as a psychic spell..." "No...no thank you...I'm afraid that wouldn't work. I don't have any magic at all. I mean, zero, nothing, naught." Pyro cleared her throat. "Well, that's all right. At least you have psychic magic...maybe you could contact some of the other Knights? If you can, you could send word to Lady Kat...um, Kalianne Triss Lunara...she's the Purple Knight. She would be really helpful at a time like this." A few minutes were spent with the young castle servants, setting a few rather nasty magical traps before the doorway, and Pyro and her small team had just progressed to the gate of the castle itself. They were implementing a fire spell that Pyro was particularly fond of--not that she had any wish to see enemies on fire or anything like that--when a shout caught her attention. "Pyro!" Only the boys she'd sent to watch the Council Room would leave the title off her name, and she whirled, fixing all her attention on the youth. He was panting, clearly having run all the way from the Council Room. "What's wrong?" "The....the Council..." he took several deep breaths, "it's being broken up! And...and...I don't know what I saw, m'lady, but two of the enemies, a man dressed military-like and a lady, they knocked out that boy what King Wolf was lookin' after. Then they made some sorta...copy of themselves...and one went out of the city, but one went deeper in!" "One copy?" At the boy's nod of affirmation, Pyro grimaced. Magical sorcery and the two people--probably generals or leaders of the army or something, soldiers at the very least--using it to get deeper into the city was one of those things she classified as really not good. "All right...I need you guys to finish that spell and then get inside. If you can--" this to her young friend, "--I need you to alert the people inside, you know, Alan and them, and then see if they can set a lookout or something, to see if those people come anywhere near the castle. If anything happens, SILE here," she motioned to the pink catgirl, "will help; SILE, try to psychicallly contact me, or rather King Wolf, or someone, in the event of danger." "'Kay. Where are you going?" the boy asked. Pyro smiled grimly. "I'm going to the Council Chambers, full speed." In a matter of minutes, Pyro had saddled up a horse and ridden from Castle Kestrel. As she went as quickly as she could through the city streets, trying not to break her neck or run over anyone, she wished the Council Chambers were close enough to run to. |
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Post by Vyt: Down, but Not Out on Mar 22, 2008 17:03:31 GMT -5
"No...no thank you...I'm afraid that wouldn't work. I don't have any magic at all. I mean, zero, nothing, naught. Well, that's all right. At least you have psychic magic...maybe you could contact some of the other Knights? If you can, you could send word to Lady Kat...um, Kalianne Triss Lunara...she's the Purple Knight. She would be really helpful at a time like this."
SILE smiled in reaction to Pyro's request. "It is settled then; I shall assist you by contacting our fellow knight through telepathic contact," she cheerfully said as if unmindful about the ongoing events.
The catgirl joined the group as they placed various magical traps around the castle. She curiously watched as the young magicians around her set up quite a handful of magical spells as the castle's primary defense. "I am very much interested in your choice of spells, youngsters! Honestly, I am amazed," she praised them, probably a little too much.
It was then that a voice broke the constant setting of the place. A young man was fast approaching, shouting the name of the Black Knight. A report of a strange occurrence inside the Council Chambers shook the heads of everyone around. Like a true knight, Pyro gathered everyone around to give out her orders.
SILE was assigned to contact either Lady Pyro or King Wolf if danger would arise, to which the catgirl nodded in agreement. The smile on her face began to sour, changing into a neutral state of alertness. "I bid my affirmation to the task you have given me," she said in reaction.
With that, Pyro took off with a horse, making haste towards the Council Chambers.
As soon as the figure of the Black Knight was gone, SILE turned towards the people Pyro had left behind. Unexpectedly, the smile on her face returned, and it was more vibrant than ever. "Shall we finish what we have already started?" she asked, hoping they'd agree.
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Post by Shadaras on Mar 22, 2008 17:53:50 GMT -5
Silence filled the Council Chamber, but a nervous silence, a silence that felt like a storm about to break. It was nothing like the silence that Shade normally surrounded herself with, and as the silence dragged on, she wanted to just tell Kit and Casandra to talk, to get whatever confrontation they were having over with. But she couldn’t say anything. It wouldn’t be right, somehow.
But when Casandra finally did speak, Shade almost wished she hadn’t. The questions she brought up were not ones that Shade wanted to think about, and certainly not ones she was likely to have the time to ask Kit about anytime soon, the way things were going. Lord Wolf had refused Casandra’s offer, and the woman was leaving the Council Chamber, giving Kit one final glare.
“What was that all about?” Shade asked quietly, not really expecting anyone to answer. Especially since Lord Wolf was calling them outside after Casandra. Shade followed him, though she would have preferred to ask Kit a question or two first, both about what had just happened and about his search for the presence he had sensed in the castle. But the questions could wait for a time, hopefully.
Outside, Shade saw Alec, Casandra, and a boy that looked familiar, but who she couldn’t quite place riding away. But there were two sets of them, one riding towards the gates, the other towards the center of the city. One of them was an illusion, of course. The problem was in figuring out which one. “M’lord,” Shade said, “I think we should follow them and make certain that they’re returning to their camp. I would rather they not stay in our city any longer than they must. How shall we split ourselves up for this?”
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Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2008 16:02:59 GMT -5
((I hadn’t really intended for them to be seen cloning themselves, but, eh, whatever. This’ll be interesting. xD))
Wolf squinted as he stepped outside, a clatter of hooves reaching his ears before his sight steadied and he saw a horse racing off towards the city’s entrance. They were gone, and unless they stayed at their camp for future delegations, this meant they were at war.
Wolf turned to Shade when she spoke. “Split up? What for?” He shook his head. “I definitely want you to see that they’ve returned to their camp. As Envoy, I hope you’ll do everything in your power to try and bring them back. I have no idea how large their army is, and if this is truly going to be war….”
Wolf shook his head again. “I need to send words to the outer towns and cities, ensure they’re prepared…” By now, he seemed to be talking more to himself than the others; he ran his hands back through his hair as he began pacing. “I should send battalions to defend them, but how many will they need? How many soldiers can we spare?”
Where was Tamia when he needed her? Where was Tirilia—she knew something of war.
He looked up at the sound of approaching horses. Correction, horse. With Lady Pyro at the reigns. He squinted his eyes a moment—he was sure the castle was within walking distance, but maybe she hadn’t come from the castle?—but pushed his piqued interest to the side as she neared them.
“Lady Pyro, what’s wrong?”
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Post by Vyt: Down, but Not Out on Mar 26, 2008 16:26:02 GMT -5
"Lord Wolf... Lord Wolf! Is my voice capable of being heard, M'lord?"
Placing her hands beside her hips, SILE sighed tiredly. For some reason, the catgirl could not telepathically contact the King, to which she was puzzled for a moment. Though her psychic powers were substantially reduced, for so many times she had been able to use telepathy quite well. It was either someone was blocking her mind from reaching out to the King or she was using the wrong name.
SILE turned around and faced the magicians she was with earlier. "Does at least one of you know the complete name of our Highness?" she asked while gasping for breath.
Upon being responded with a disappointing shook of disagreement, SILE sighed once more. For her telepathy to work, she would have to address the person she wishes to contact with by their complete name and title, which sometimes proved to be quite a handful in addressing her fellow knights. The feline was obviously tired from exhaustion, but the task given to her needed to be done.
Placing her hands back to the side of her head once more, SILE went for another way.
"Lady Kalianne Triss Lunara... Lady Kalianne Triss Lunara! Am I within your mind?"
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Post by Dice on Mar 27, 2008 5:45:23 GMT -5
"Lady Pyro, what's wrong?"
Pyro slid off the horse, tried to keep herself from falling flat on her face, and walked up to the small group., breathing hard. There was no evidence of a battle, or that any altercations had moved into physical fights, so she breathed a little easier as she saw King Wolf and Lady Shade conversing.
"Hello, m'lord, m'lady," she said, dipping her head in a small bow to the group. "I came as quickly as I could to find out what was going on. I heard the Council had been broken up and not very, shall we say...amicably?"
She grimaced. "And evidently two people and Jonathan did some sort of magical cloning thing and raced either to their camp or into our city--neither of which, I must admit, is a pleasing prospect. I wanted to be ready, in case we have to go to war. I'm fairly sure the castle will be all right, but as for the rest of the city and the towns...I didn't want to be sitting in the castle without word or news. I'll help, if there's anything--uh, anything non-magical--that needs doing."
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Post by KitClairvoyance on Mar 27, 2008 9:12:02 GMT -5
For a moment, Kit couldn't believe what Wolf was about to do. He turned and stepped out of the Council Chambers, finding Wolf talking to Pyro. Rather unceremoniously, he interrupted them.
"Stop this idiocy."
The words came clear and loud, intended to cut over the flurry of activity that had consumed them since Casandra's exit. Kit glared at Wolf, not in anger or hate, but in disappointment. He had trusted Wolf to lead with wisdom, not with brashness. Not to risk putting the entire country at war over him, a demonologist.
"Stop being a hero, and be a king for once. Your country is more important than me."
For the first time since Wolf's coronation, Kit began to question Wolf's suitability as a king. Wolf was too attached to his Knights, too caught up with the details to see the whole situation.. and Kit couldn't respect that. Kit couldn't respect Wolf's decision to go to war. Kit had seen the horrors of war before, and he could never respect anyone who would willingly throw his or her kingdom into it.
Maybe it was because Wolf had never seen first hand the suffering and carnage on the battlefield. Maybe it's because Wolf had never had to kneel down beside a dying soldier, to lie to him and tell him that he was going to live. Maybe it was because Wolf had never had to see his mentor walk out of a battle; her armour, skin and hair, all drenched with blood. Her spear still having strips of flesh hanging off its serrated blade. Her eyes devoid of emotion as she impaled the enemy commander right through the neck.
Kristen certainly wouldn't have respected Wolf. Not because war brought suffering, but because war was inefficient. It demanded resources. It drained morale. It put everything at an unnecessary risk. And Kit understood that, and so he couldn't respect Wolf either.
"Do not insult me, I will not hide behind this kingdom nor its knights, so do not try to shield me."
Kit's insomnia was already bad as it is, he didn't need to wrestle with the knowledge that an entire kingdom would be put at war because of him. He took his glare off Wolf and looked at the other knights. He didn't need their lives to be put on the line for his either.
Also, it was clear to Kit that Maya was nowhere to be found in Dunburrow. The man that stood outside the Council Chambers when Kit arrived carried an air of familiarity with him, and perhaps Kit could learn more by following him. Even if it was to be as his prisoner.
And finally, Kit had been feeling.. unstable, and he had a suspicion that it had to do with Wolf. Getting away might prove useful. He had lived in the slums of Dunburrow before, living as a prisoner would actually be easier in comparison.
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Post by Shadaras on Mar 27, 2008 10:34:26 GMT -5
Shade bowed to Lord Wolf silently, not looking at him. Didn’t you see them? she wanted to ask, anger flashing through her, first at her king, and then at herself. She shouldn’t be questioning his orders. But how could she not, when they made as little sense as they did? How in all the hells could she follow someone when she didn’t know which blasted version was real? She wanted to just ask Wolf that, but didn’t dare.
But how could he not have seen them? He had exited the room before her, and by all rights should have seen them at least as well as she had. Or had she simply been imagining things?
Shade hissed, raising her head sharply. It was possible. None of the others had seen them riding away, after all. But why her? Then Pyro’s words to the king went through her head. Two people and Jonathan.. Had she seen them as well? Shade hoped so. If she had, then that would lead Wolf to believe, and hopefully to follow both sets. And her naming of the boy was more than Shade had been able to figure out, and quite likely going to lead Wolf into a search, not for Alec and Casandra, but for the boy.
“Stop this idiocy.”
Kit’s voice broke through her thoughts, as well as Pyro and Wolf’s conversation. Shade smiled slightly, watching him. Her smile quickly faded, however, as she listened. His words made perfect sense, though in some ways she wished they didn’t. Giving him up for the country.. well, even if she didn’t want to, it would be for the best, in the end.
“My lord,” Shade said, “even if I do not like the prospect, Kit is right. For the good of Dunburrow as a whole, we must accept their offer of trade.” She waved a hand, gesturing to the white stone of the Council Chamber, the trees that lined the city pathways. “I do not want to see the beauty of our country ravaged and destroyed by war. If that means giving up one of our knights, so be it.”
Even though it meant giving up a friend. Even if it meant being tormented about the decision in the nights to come. Even though she disliked it, how could she let something like that destroy her home? There was a choice to be made. There always was. But in this case, she couldn’t choose what she wanted to, but what she had to, for the good of all.
Shade closed her eyes, waiting for Wolf to speak, to make the final decision. And if he again chose a friend over his country, then Shade too would call him an idiot, for he would be acting like one.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2008 14:51:06 GMT -5
((Whoops, you get busy with another guild, and forget you're in the middle of a plot. 0.o))
Fenrix had stepped into the shadows of the council room to watch, then followed the King when he went outside to speak with a knight. General Alec and Casandra had gone off and in the sudden chaos, Fenrix had been forgotten. That was a good thing and a bad thing all at once. She could always find her way back to camp, but the prospect of staying here was enticing.
And she could sell the secrets of both sides if she chose. The knights of Dunburrow and their king seemingly spoke out in the open about matters that should have been private. It would be all too easy if she kept her mouth shut and her ears open. And she knew plenty of things about the General that could help in a fight. Yes, it seems I will be able to find a way to live here, be it spying or killing. Fenrix thought.
Of course it is all loyalty to the highest bidder. Koje rested on her shoulder, ruffling his feathers in a dissagreeable way. I thought we came to get /away/ from all of the spying and killing, you wanted to make a home here.
I didn't think there would be a war here. Besides, this is fun. Now be quiet and make yourself useful. She chided him. And with that last command the hawk took off, screeching in hawk tongue as it soared over the castle, searching the ground with it's eyes.
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Post by Bacon on Mar 27, 2008 18:59:58 GMT -5
Sir Bacon sighed as he watched Alec and the others retreating. His thoughts consumed him so much that he didn't notice anything until a hawk's cry roused him. He looked up, noting it was the same hawk as before. He turned and saw Fenrix standing there. Left behind by accident or design, Sir Bacon wondered.
"Now then," Sir Bacon said as he approached Fenrix, "I still have questions for you, Lady Akaba. Firstly, where did you get that dagger by your side? Next, what is your rank in General Alec's army? Lastly, and most paramount, have you ever heard of the Knights of the Order of the Protecters of Riasa-Calleo?"
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Post by Kat on Mar 27, 2008 19:46:28 GMT -5
"Lady Kalianne Triss Lunara... Lady Kalianne Triss Lunara! Am I within your mind?"
Everything was so quiet that Kat nearly jumped out of her skin when someone started probing the deepest recesses of her head.
Yes, you are, and you nearly gave me a scare. Forgive me for asking, but are you one of the Knights? Do you know where they are? Do they need my help? And am I asking too many questions?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2008 20:07:20 GMT -5
Fenrix glared at him and drew herself up haughtily. "My good sir, you are addressing a sheik of royal lineage. Such barrage of questions is highly improper. If I were you, I'd be more careful that I showed courtesy to a visiting dignitary." She looked down her nose at him, putting a hand on the dagger he inquired of.
"I have no rank in his army other than a traveller who wisely stayed with a caravan of great number during her journey. In my homeland, however, I am the ruling sheik over my clan. Or I will be. As I am the sole heir to the Sheik of Akaba."
Such an inquistive knight, she thought to herself, how troublesome. "This blade is my own, given to me as a gift. And I've not heard of such an Order." Now it was her turn to ask a question. "Why in in the name of the goddess do you want to know? Do the knights of Dunburrow even have manners?"
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Post by Vyt: Down, but Not Out on Mar 27, 2008 20:10:39 GMT -5
SILE realized the knight she was talking to was about as clueless about the catgirl's identity as Lady Pyro, but did not hesitate to introduce herself. "Ahh, please pardon me for my incivility. My identity lies in the name of SILE, and the title given to me by our King is 'The Clement Sword'. I am contacting you through telepathy to bid you of an incoming danger in the Council Chambers..."
SILE's head started to hurt a little.
"... Lady Pyro is already on her way towards the said place, but I fear for the worse. As a fellow knight, I am requesting you to make your way in the Council Chambers and confirm the news about the two intruders inside the current negotiation meeting. Must I be convinced that you be going now?"
SILE's sight started to fade. The catgirl knew a vision attack was not far from happening.
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Post by Bacon on Mar 27, 2008 21:45:06 GMT -5
"My good sir, you are addressing a sheik of royal lineage. Such barrage of questions is highly improper. If I were you, I'd be more careful that I showed courtesy to a visiting dignitary.I have no rank in his army other than a traveller who wisely stayed with a caravan of great number during her journey. In my homeland, however, I am the ruling sheik over my clan. Or I will be. As I am the sole heir to the Sheik of Akaba. This blade is my own, given to me as a gift. And I've not heard of such an Order. Why in in the name of the goddess do you want to know? Do the knights of Dunburrow even have manners?"
Sir Bacon sighed his disappointment. It didn't sound like she was the assassin, and her eyes didn't seem to be lying. "I-I apologize for my behavior, Milady," He said, bowing deeply in the Riasan manner, "I do not ask these questions as a representative of my present colleauges, but as an avenger of my fallen blood-brethren."
He looked up and looked into her eyes, attemting to reveal his sincerity, "I'm trying to find the one that killed the Riasa-Calleo knights!" He then averted his gaze, "I apologize that I thought it could be you. Please, Milady, I meant no ill will with my queries, only answers where there seem to be none."
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