Kendrick looked over his plans once more, trying to find every fault in them and fix them. His plan was not very simple and to do it alone was going to be even more difficult. He wished Sofia was here, but reminded himself to stay on task. He was no longer doing this for himself. Kendrick paused when he heard Zach scuffle inside. He did not look up but spoke up. [color=004b80]"Hello, good to see you."[/color] Zach smirked slightly. [color=00aeef]"You are so lucky it was me and not the king's guard looking for your wife."[/color] Zach chuckled to himself as he and Niesha came in and shut the door. [color=00aeef]"Well one thing is for certain, you need to get your honor back and soon or I'll have to go 2 towns over to see my sister from now on. She did not betray you, at great cost to herself. As a matter of fact if she is seen in town she might be hung. Embarassing the king does that."[/color] Zach tried not to smile at the memory.[color=00aeef] "In case you want to see her she is 2 towns west of here on a farm run by Anna Popplewell."[/color] Niesha went to the window, looking out, watching for any sign that there were kings guards coming down the road, or her father and his men. She knew that that was only a matter of time. She looked to Zach and Kendrick, [color=f7941d]"Well, either the kings men will be here, or my fathers. You should find a safer place, Kendrick. Unless whatever you're planning is something you want to put into action before they show up"[/color] Kendrick still did not look up, but continued his work and spoke at the same time. [color=004b80]"Actually yes, I am planning something. But it is very dangerous. I do not want to put more lives at risk, especially when I am planning something.....else as well. Something that could improve everything."[/color] Kendrick looked up and looked them both in the eyes. [color=004b80]"I plan on becoming King."[/color] Zach was positive he heard him wrong. [color=00aeef]"Did you say you are planning on becoming king? How the hell do you intend to do that? You can't just wake up and decide to be the king one day you know!"[/color] Zach was fairly certain that Kendrick had lost his mind. [color=00aeef]"Do you have any idea what my sister did for you?"[/color] [color=004b80]"Your kind of a broken record Zach."[/color] Kendrick folded up his plans and maps, and made them into a neat pile. Then he picked them up and tossed them into the burning fireplace, destroying all evidence. [color=004b80]"I must go now, there is very little time to spare. Just make sure you two stay away from the castle for the rest of the day. There will be much commotion and it would suit you both to be away from it."[/color] [color=f7941d]"While you're probably right its better to stay away, everyone will be a suspect if you try and kill the king, Kendrick. Its not that easy to do it"[/color] Niesha said. She agreed, there did need to be a lot changed in the way the kingdom was handled, but she didn't want to lose people she cared about. [color=f7941d]"What are you going to do, walk in there, kill him and crown yourself?"[/color] Kendrick sighed and nearly grunted as his responce but thought better. [color=004b80]"I never said I was going to kill the King. In fact I have never once said I was going to. I have always said I would prove I was innocent, and I would prove how guilty the King is. Killing him would do no such thing."[/color] Kyle walked over and looked out the window. [color=004b80]"I will tell you my plan, but only if you assist me with it. If not, I understand."[/color] [color=00aeef]"What do you need us to do?"[/color] Zach asked curiously. [color=00aeef]"I'll help if it will get you and Sofia home and safe but I won't risk Niesha's safety. So what is your plan?"[/color] Kendrick turned back around and walked over to the table where his recently destroyed plans had been. [color=004b80]"Simple. I will need one of you to cause a distraction at the front gates of the castle. Specifically, I will need you to rally the lower class people together in mob type formation and cause a ruckus at the front gates. If one of you does that, that will cause the distraction I need. I need the other one of you to be inside the castle for the next part of my plan. I need the other one of you to be my ghost, basically meaning someone in the crowd of people no one really notices but entices the crowd by sharing your opinion out loud. If you do that it will encourage the crowd inside the castle and sway opinion."[/color] Niesha listened as Kendrick spoke, debating about what she could do. She wasn't sure how they could rally the small folk, unless ti was something about the pirate invasion. Even that wasn't a sure thing. Yet she had ideas for a distraction. [color=f7941d]"The guards will be careful about letting anyone in. But numbers would enable us to. How would we sway the lower class?"[/color] She asked [color=004b80]"Everyone is upset with the leadership here because the pirate attack, the taxes, so many things. Just use all of that to your advantage. Go down to the slums of the city, shout out about being tired of this crap and maybe say something about their children starving or something."[/color] Kendrick scratched his head. [color=004b80]"The ghost in my plan would need to get inside the castle either before the mob begins or sneak in with me."[/color] Zach listened to his plan and he sighed. [color=00aeef]"Niesha can not go inside the castle. Her father is likely to still be there. She could help at the gates. You do realize that if this doesn't work we will be executed right?" [/color]Zach sat down at the table and put his hands on the back of his neck and rocked in his chair a moment.[color=00aeef] "Ok, I'll ghost you. But so help me if we die and leave the girls at the mercy of that king....I'll fong you!" [/color] Kendrick for a moment, then raised an eyebrow at Zach before sighing loudly. He walked over and opened the door. [color=004b80]"It will work, I promise. And when it does Sofia will be able to come home, Niesha will be a free woman from her father, and we will all be better off."[/color] Kendrick walked out, motioning for Zach to follow and Niesha to play her part. Niesha knew that either way, her father would be aware that she was there. He'd either see her, or her voice would be a dead giveaway. But in the crowd, it was probably slightly safer. She didn't agree with what Kendrick said about being free from her father---the only way she would would be with her fathers death, but she wasn't going to say that. She followed Kendrick out, thinking. She just had to fire people up, and wouldn't that be fun? She went to pull up her hood, but stopped herself. She thought back on the people she had helped, and knew if she was going to do this, then she shouldn't hide her face. [color=f7941d]"I guess I'll see you guys at the castle"[/color] Zach turned around and picked his wife up and kissed her solidly. [color=00aeef]"Be safe and don't take any chances. Wish us luck." [/color]Zach put her down and followed Kendrick and they went another way making sure not to draw too much attention to themselves. Zach was hoping Kendrick knew what he was doing. There were a lot of people still outside of the castle because of the pirate fight and the dead bodies were still burning and there were still wedding guests running around the castle too. Kendrick eyed the castle grounds, then looked at Zach and held a finger to his lips. They would not speak at all. Keeping the noise down was essential. Kendrick walked down the road, right from the castle entrance, until he was out of the main guards and knights view. Then, with Zach right behind him, he walked quickly to the side wall of the castle. He walked along the wall until he found the rope hanging out of one of the windows of a higher up room. He had left the rope there in case he needed to return quickly. Luckily the room the rope was hanging from was a storage room. Kyle grasped the rope firmly with both hands, tugging slightly testing its durability. The rope was still knotted tight, which was a good sign. Kendrick wrapped his legs around the rope and climbed up in to the room, through the window. Niesha stood, watching them go, before sighing to herself and going towards the lower class areas. She began to try and rally them, doing whatever she thought could help fire up the citizens of the city, rallying them towards the castle. From there, she kept on firing them up, trying to cause as much commotion as she could. Zach shimmied up the rope and into the window almost as quickly as Kendrick. Once inside he realized it was a storage room. He looked around and stayed close to Kendrick. Keeping out of sight was a tad harder in the castle. The hallways weren't as crowded as you would have thought considering all of the activity that day. Zach was wondering where they all were at. Kendrick had hoped that the castle would be busier, so sneaking around was going to be diffucult. He had hoped that castle would be busier, what with the approaching mob now at the castle gates and with so many nobles with claims for the king from the pirate attack. Kendrick decided enough was enough, he had snuck around for two years and this was it. Kendrick pulled down his hood, took off the bag around his shoulders and held it by its sleeves in his hand, and walked out of the corner He and Zach were hiding in. Luckily on their way to the throne room the only ones who spotted them were nobles. Not guards or knights. When they arrived Kendrick was immediatley identified by everyone in the room but he did not care. He knew he would be which is what would let Zach slip in unoticed. The king was on his throne, with his council of 4 around him. Nobles were originally in line to speak to the king parted when Kendrick approached. Before the King could speak, Kendrick walked up and turned his back on the King, making eye contact with everyone in the room, and at times turning around to look at the council. [color=004b80]"Good people of this city, I have important information that must be seen! Our King is a liar, a thief, and is unworthy to sit on his throne! He has been stealing from the treasury and upping taxes to be able to afford his gambling games! I have papers and records showing as much!"[/color] Kendrick opened his bag and and pulled out a very thick binders worth of papers, all evidence. He nodded in Zachs general direction. Zach started heckling the king and inciting violence against the king and the reigning family. He could hear guards running into the room and he tripped a couple and elbowed one in the neck sending him sprawling backwards. He needed Kendrick to have some time to do what he was set on. Sofia was at Anna's and something just seemed off. There was a lot of noise coming from the castle's direction. [color=f49ac2]"I have to go back. Something is going on and I just have a feeling."[/color] [color=fff200]"Sofia NO!"[/color] Anna yelled as she ranher horse hard towards the castle. She kept her hood up and when she got to the outside of the castle she spotted Niesha. Still on her horse Sofia's horse reared up and kicked a guard. She spurred it on and she rode the horse into the castle. As Sofia came riding through the crowd, Niesha didn't hesitate to follow the path through the crowd left by her, wanting to get closer, wanting to make sure things were going okay. Sofia's reappearance was sure to stir up even more of a commotion, and things were bound to get confusing. She had a moment or two to decide whether or not to stop Sofia, or join her. [color=f7941d]"Wait, Sofia!"[/color] Sofia recognized Niesha's voice and stopped, turning her horse she lowered her hand to help her up onto the horse. Sofia handed her a shield she grabbed off of the wall. [color=f49ac2]"put this on your back, just in case."[/color] She turned the horse and headed for the throne room where a lot of noise was coming from. Things were not going perfectly, but Kendrick still had hope. And it seemed as if everyone was at least giving him a moment, or at least no one was going to arrest him at the moment. The king managed to stutter out a few words and commands but no one was paying attention. Kendrick told everyone to line up, and all the nobles formed a line in front of him, all being able to see his proof. It took a bit of time but eventually every noble in the room began calling for the Kings head. Part of his evidence was the tax documents, and private correspondance to his banker where the king states his real intentions with the money from the raised taxes. Soon even the council was asking to see the evidence. Kendrick gladly walked forward and showed it to all four council members. After reviewing it, the council ordered for the King to be taken away and thrown in a cell until the time was right for a decision to be made. As knights apprehended the King, his crown fell to the floor. The council applauded Kendrick, and announced that he was no longer an exile and could come back to the Knights order if he wished. Kendrick smiled, walked over, and picked up the crown and held in his hands. He turned and faced the council. [color=004b80]"I am Kendrick, Son of Henry, Knight to the King. He had noble blood in his veins, as do I. I have accomplished a great feat, I am married to a fertile woman, and I am at a young but healthy age. By Founders Rights I contest to become the new head of our Monarchy."[/color] The council was shocked, as well as every noble in the room, and as the council began to argue Kendrick silenced them by clapping his hands. [color=004b80]"I have done my research. According to the cities founders, when our current head monarch is dethroned and there is no heir or replacement at the ready, any man or woman of noble lineage, of good health, who is married and or is fertile enough to produce an offspring, and has proper family may be allowed to step forward and put his credentials down to become the next King or Queen."[/color] Kendrick looked around and smiled. [color=004b80]"Hmm does not seem like anyone else is volunteering, and it seems as if right now I am the most qualifed seeing as how I have spent more time with the common people of our city and I have proven my love for them by revealing our King to be a traitor."[/color] Kendrick walked forward to one of the councilors and held out the crown. [color=004b80]"But of course, I am sure you have another candidate ready and primed right now. Am I correct?"[/color] The council hesitated, and after a quick discussion between themselves, they announced that since there was no one else who could fill the position and since Kendrick has proven himself he shall be given the chance to rule, making his blood the new royal blood. Sofia's horse could be heard coming down the hall at a run. The guards nearest the door swung it open and she and Niesha rode into the throne room. Sofia slid down the side of her horse and ran to Kendrick. [color=f49ac2]"Are you alright?I heard the commotion and I had to come back."[/color] She started to notice that no one was trying to kill or capture them. Looking around she practically fell over when one of the guards bowed to them and said [color=fff200]"Long Live the King and Queen."[/color] [color=f49ac2]"What happened and why....what?" [/color]Zach reached up to take Niesha into his arms. Niesha realised that perhaps she should have given Sofia warning, but that didn't matter now. She glanced about them, unsurprised to see her father looking displeased. The King was gone, she assumed that Kendrick had already made his argument, even as the guard spoke. Sliding down into Zach's arms when he reached for her, she gave him a smile, [color=f7941d]"Looks like the fun is over"[/color] she said, [color=f7941d]"But riding in on a horse probably wasn't the safe thing, huh?"[/color] Knedrick smiled and put the crown on his head. When he spotted Sofia practically jumping off her horse and rushing to him he laughed and embraced her. [color=004b80]"My love you have nothing to fear. I have more than regained my honor back.......I have become King. You are able to return now, and we shall live in the castle. You shall be my queen."[/color] Sofia couldn't have been more surprised if he had told her he was a martian. It was all so much to take in. The baroness looked like she might die of embarrassment. Realizing who she was married to she now understood why Sofia couldn't tell her. She came forward and got down on a knee and begged for Sofia's forgiveness which embarrassed Sofia immensely. Sofia caught sight of it and she lunged towards the man, drawing her sword, as Lord Stiles went to stab his daughter in the back. Zach turned in the nic of time and saved Niesha but in doing so he was stabbed in the left side, just as Sofia's sword slashed the older man's throat. [color=f49ac2]"ZACH!"[/color] She yelled leaping over the gurgling body of Niesha's father. For a second it was as if time had stopped. Niesha cried out, immediately she grabbed at Zach, guiding him to the ground so he wouldn't fall and hurt himself anymore. She hadn't thought to bring her medical kit, so she had nothing. She tore her cloak off, pressing it to the wound. [color=f7941d]"Get me some help here!"[/color] she yelled out, sure there had to be some sort of medical staff in the castle. Kendrick reacted as fast as he could. Kendrick ran over to Zachs side and knelt next to him. When he spoke he spoke outloud. [color=004b80]"I want every doctor we have in the castle in here NOW!"[/color] All around, nobles began scurrying and people began moving. Suddenly the room was filled with people in white cloaks. Doctors gently pushed aside Kendrick, Sofia, and Niesha and began working on Zach. Sofia was pushed gently aside and she let the doctors in and she was afraid. There was a lot of blood and she felt Kendrick's arms around her and she turned in his arms. [color=f49ac2]"That's a lot of blood."[/color] Just then she saw one of the doctors pull something out of the fire and she heard the sizzle of Zach's skin as they cauterized the back of the wound where it entered. They worked on the front to determine that there were no injuried to any organs that they could tell. The smell of his burned skin had some running from the room. After a few moments they carried Zach off. [color=f49ac2]"Where are they going? Kendrick?"[/color] Niesha reluctantly let herself be pushed aside, although it was the last thing she wanted. She was angry, and worried and if she could have, she would have killed her father herself. Why couldn't he have just let her be happy? As they started to take Zach away, she followed, refusing to be left in the dark. Kendrick held Sofia close, and he watch as Niesha and the doctors with Zach walked off. [color=004b80]"I am sure that they are taking him somehwere private, where he can rest and they can double check their work."[/color] Kendrick spoke up again. [color=004b80]"Guards! Take away the dead body! And everyone I will not permit any harm come to myself, my wife, and her family! This is my only warning!"[/color] Sofia turned and looked at the guard nearest her and said, [color=f49ac2]"Go with them and I need updates on my brother regularly. Once an hour or when something changes."[/color] She wanted to go with Zach but she also knew that Kendrick needed her too.The doctors were already going to have trouble keeping Niesha out of their way. Sofia looked at the baroness and asked her to have the royal chambers readied for the new royal family. She held Kendrick's hand still in awe of everything that had happened. She leaned in and told him, [color=f49ac2]"I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it. I had no idea how you were going to do it but I knew you would find a way."[/color] There was a long line of people wanting to greet the new king and bestow favors on him. Sofia asked to know where the royal chambers were. She was exhausted but she didn't want Kendrick to be in there alone. What if they revolted again? What if one of them killed Kendrick while she was napping? [color=f49ac2]"My love please come and take a nap with me. Without Zach by your side I just dont trust the nobles yet."[/color] As the kings chambers were being given a complete and thorough scrubbing they were taken to the queen's chambers which were in perfect order. Sofia crawled up into the bed and sighed in comfort. Kendrick ordered the council to get the affairs of the castle in order, alert the people to the changes, and the following day he would start his kingly duties. Kendrick followed Sofia and snuggled close to Sofia. [color=004b80]"Sofia, I told you I would make things better. I love you."[/color] Sofia snuggled as close as she could get in her husband's arms. [color=f49ac2]"I love you too."[/color] She yawned and then she kissed him. [color=f49ac2]"If there are any changes in Zach's condition wake me,"[/color] she said to the maid as she was leaving. The woman nodded and once the door was shut she got up and locked both the outter door and the door into the king's chambers. [color=f49ac2]"There now we can sleep."[/color] She kicked off her shoes and her clothes leaving only her under clothing on. She climbed back in and threw his shoes on the floor and pulled the covers up as she lay in his arms. Kendrick wrapped his arms around Sofia, and kissed the top of her head. He quickly drifted off to slumber. Niesha followed the doctors to the room they took Zach, refusing to be pushed out the room, wanting to be there if something happened. She watched as they checked for any serious damage, as they closed up the wound, her heart in her throat with worry, and fear. She didn't know what she would do if it turned bad, and when they had finished, she went to Zach's side. Zach slept for some time. When he drifted in and out of sleep he kept seeing Niesha and turning and seeing a sword just before it entered him from the back. He'd been stabbed before but that one had been by a drunken idiot. This had been by Niesha's father. He also remembered seeing Sofia with a sword too. He wondered what had happened to Niesha's father. About that time he would drift back to sleep. After several hours he awoke to find Niesha laying next to him but on the right side so she wouldn't be touching the injured side. Zach wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her up to him slightly. Zach reached down and kissed her lightly. [color=00aeef]"Niesha....baby I know you are scared but I'll be okay."[/color] Zach thought a second and asked...[color=00aeef]"What happened to the horse?"[/color] Niesha shifted as Zach held her, having not been asleep but rather listening to every breath he took, she returned his kiss, relieved. [color=f7941d]"I'm allowed to worry"[/color] She said softlly, frowning over his question about the horse. [color=f7941d]"I guess someone took the horse to the stables, why?"[/color] She sat up slightly so she could study him, wanting to make sure he was okay. Zach chuckled a little, [color=00aeef]"I don't know it just popped into my head so I asked. He is an expensive horse. I got him for Sofia's birthday a couple of years ago." [/color]Looking at his wife he could see the worry in her eyes. [color=00aeef]"I am going to be fine. I promise you."[/color] He kicked off his shoes and pulled the covers he could reach up and covered them both. Holding her in his arms he smiled and said [color=00aeef]"I love you baby."[/color] He fell asleep smiling.