[u][b]Laona, Royal Palace[/b][/u] [b]Present Day[/b] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Warm light filtered through the large clear glass windows of the palace dining room where it illuminated king Tetan Serin and the small feast he was having for lunch. Standing beside the king was the Spymaster, cloaked in intricate robes and wearing an almost comical red satin hat which blended in perfectly with the rooms velvet red carpet and managed to bolster his height by nearly a solid foot. It was not unneeded for the diminutive man. Within the room Tetan stared down at his plate and calmly asked, “repeat that please.” The spymaster having clearly been unnerved by the simple question replied cautiously, “Well... Sir there are reports, nothing verified, but a Dominion ship may have docked in Charlin and created quite a ruckus, that is what our informants tell me.” Tetan posed the question, “Is it his?” The spymaster adjusted his head nervously and replied, “We think so.” It took very little really, but the anger that built on Tetans face was beyond obvious. Suddenly he slammed his hand into the plate causing shards of porcelain and food to fly across the room as he screamed, “You said this would be easy! Charlin? You call that easy you useless worm!?” Tetan moved on the spymaster and grabbed him by the collar as he slammed the smaller man into the wall, “You understand what this means fool? I can do [i]nothing[/i] now! We signed the treaty not a week ago! Worse yet if those Justinian bastards find out the child’s identity...” Tetan just dropped the spymaster who grasped his throat and gasped, finally able to breath. How could this happen? He had been assured a simple captain running off would be no problem... Two years, two years and nothing. Now not only did he not have his own son, by Yuwan if the mages were right the only son he would ever have, he had lost him to the Justinians. Tetan began pacing along the table, taking out the occasional angry thought on whatever morsel of food was nearest by flinging it into a wall and cursing. The spymaster now recovered and nearly cowering suggested hesitantly, “The senates assassin is still-” Tetan didn't let him finish, “The senates! Senates! As much as I might need the fools I would never trust a situation like this to them, royal families have been unseated before you blithering idiot! I followed your advice and killed the whore to keep this quiet and look what has happened!” Ceasing his pacing Tetan moved in on the spymaster and cast an accusing finger towards him, “This is all [i]your[/i] fault isn't it? If I hadn't followed your advice I would have my boy and the senate would be none the wiser of his origins! You!” A smile creased his face and Tetan yelled, “guards!” Not a moment later they burst in, their gazing following Tetans outstretched arm to the mortified spymaster quivering in the corner. With a laugh he just declared, “Take this man, this traitor away! I want his head for crimes against this Dominion and Yuwan herself!” Being dragged out the door the unfortunate soul didn't ever manage to mutter a single word, still struck with disbelief. Falling against the wall and sitting on the floor Tetan sighed, how could it have come to this? His father wanted him to be king, him who was the wiser of his siblings, him who was king even though it cost him one of the few siblings he had left. Surely he was the wisest of them? The Strongest? How was it then that he was unable even to protect his own child? He had to get the child back, not only for his own honour but for his nation. The living terror that his foolish younger brother would bring about should he and his monster of a wife come to bear the royal heir was not something to take lightly. No matter the cost he had to get the child back, and he had to do it quietly. All of that not even to mention the blasted ring, the same ring that had not found any real use in more than a thousand years. Ironic that everyone, Tetan included, had been trying so hard to get it back now despite not even looking at the thing in near their entire lives. Tetan simply let out an exasperated sigh, everything had become such a mess and removing the worm that started it had hardly made him feel better. Still, he needed to get the boy and the ring back before the senate. Oh yes their Morinth was an effective weapon, it was why he liked her. A shame that he had to stop her or risk everything, well everyone makes sacrifices. He had his own assassins. Settle the matter at hand first then, remove Morinth and then find a way to get what he needed. Tetan stood and exited the food plastered dining room, making his way to the royal office. It would take a few letters and more than a little gold, but it would work this time, it had to. Still, nothing ever did seem to work, best to hire foreigners then. [u][b]Zar Dratha[/b][/u] [b]Two Days Later[/b] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- He glided through the noonday sunshine’s oppressive heat, moving as if always cloaked in shadows, though the place had few, and as if even the ever present dust could not touch him. The open market was crowded— it was always crowded— with yelling merchants and customers bargaining for every copper piece, every Drathan tooth. Thieves were positioning themselves in all the best and busiest places, where they might cut a purse string without ever being noticed, or if they were discovered, where they could melt away into a swirling crowd of bright colors and flowing robes. Dazar noted the thieves clearly. He could tell with a glance who was there to shop and who was there to steal, and he didn’t avoid the latter group. He, in fact, purposely set his course to bring him right by every thief he could find, and he pushed back one side of his dark cloak, revealing his ample purse——revealing, too, the jewel-decorated dagger of pure enchanted ebonsteel that kept his purse and his person perfectly safe. The dagger was his trademark weapon, one of the most feared blades on all of Zar Dratha’s dangerous streets. Dazar enjoyed the respect the young thieves offered him, and more than that, he demanded it. He had spent years earning his reputation as the finest assassin in Zar Dratha, but he was getting older. He was losing, perhaps, that fine edge of brilliance. Thus, he came out brazenly— more so than he ever would have in his younger days— daring them, any of them, to make a try for him. He crossed the busy avenue, heading for a small outdoor tavern that had many round tables set under a great awning as shade from the sun. The place was bustling, but Dazar immediately spotted his contact, a man from the north, the Dominion specifically. With a single glance he knew the man was alone, instincts honed from several years of his chosen trade had honed within him a near sixth sense about such things. Still one could never be too careful. He moved toward the table and sat down in one smooth motion; so gracefully and quickly the contact nearly jumped from his seat when he turned his gaze before him. Dazar said nothing to the other man, resting his chin on his left fist as he toyed with a Drathan coin in his right hand idly. Not even looking up at the other man from under his black wide brimmed hat. "The desert falcon knows little of winter's bite," He said cryptically. Using the pass code they had agreed on. Calmed down from the near fright the man replied as he was directed to do, “But does not fear the summers wind.” Dazar said nothing for a time, juggling his coin between his fingers. Spinning that same coin about skillfully in his hand before flicking it upwards and catching it he said at last, "Well then, you have my ear. Just what task would the king of kings require from a foreign blade, hmm?" The man took a cautious look around the room before he began, “A certain agent of the Senate has become problematic.” He opened a small bag and pulled out a rough drawing, “Morinth, if you know her. She has acted in any number of roles for the senate over as many years and I warn you not to take her lightly if this is the first you have heard the name. She will need to be ‘handled’ and it will have to be quickly. Our last reports put her in Charlin, Krax to be precise. How long she’ll stay there we cannot say.” Reaching back into the back the man pulled out a small featureless leather bag and dropped it to the table, “We’re sure we can count on your discretion and prompt action, the rest will follow once you bring some evidence the job is done.” Dazar had remained quiet during the explanation, but at the mention of Morinth’s name his coin play stopped. His features betraying a keener interest than before. He had indeed heard of this Morinth before, though by reputation only. Often the most well known of his craft did not hold up to their rumored skills. However, something told Dazar caution would be the watchword on this specific mission. Perhaps this is what he needed? Dazar was as masterful at his craft as any could hope to be, more so in many respects given the dangerous city he lived in. No matter how wise you were, how strong, how quick, or skilled. There was always one enemy that prevailed over all foes one day. Time. Dazar had heard the whispers among some of the more brazen of the cities thieves. They were starting to think his golden years were behind him. They thought him a relic of a passing age, one who would be forgotten in the sands of time. No, he could not allow that to happen. Perhaps he become slower than in days of his youth, perhaps he had lost a bit of that edge. Yet, even so he had gained wisdom and experience, born from years of working for the dangerous archwizards of his city. He was the hunter of some of the most dangerous, the most clever, of beings on Avara and he was far from fading into obscurity. This opportunity might be the very thing he needed to show the others, the world. Dazar The Black Scorpion was far from dulled. As the saying often was in the Union, wisdom was the sharpest blade of all. Dazar looked down at the coin in his hand and studied it with a cold unreadable gaze. "You hunt big game then." he said at last. His tone dry, almost bored or tired. The faintest shadow of a smile played on his lips as he added. "Very well. I will fix this problem for you. Just be sure you benefactor pays what is owed when the deed is done." He spun the coin in his hand about his fingers nimbly before it seemingly vanished before the other man's eyes. "We will speak again when I have done my, part." He stood up then and looked up fully into the contacts eyes from under his wide brimmed hat. Two black orbs of blackest night looked down upon him, seemingly to look through the man entirely. "You will not have to wait long." Dazar dipped his head and turned again, seemingly to vanish in the coward of bodies as if he had never been there at all. [hider=Things & Stuff] -Tetan is not as nice as he seems. -Morinth better watch her butt. -Old Assassins can still get their blades up.[/hider]