The dance was just ending and another crowd of would be partners was jostling for position when a servant, very politely, but very forcefully pushed his way to the front of the group.

“Gravina, your husband requests your company on the balcony,” the servant said with the satisfaction of one whos station allows him to ride roughshod over the group of other wise important dancers. Camilla nodded and stepped clear of the pack heading for the balcony where she had seen Cydric and the Regent repair for there conversation. 

With a suddenness that made her jump iron strong fingers grabbed her wrist, squeezing with a painful strength. Dietricha’s eyes were wide and paniced though Camilla could see no cause for such alarm.

“I didn’t see this!” she hissed in a whisper sharp enough to cut glass. 

“I didn’t see this!” the wizard repeated as though it were the most important piece of information in the world. Camilla pried her fingers free with some difficultly. It was easily the most animated she had seen the wizard in their short aquaintence.

“Calm down, didn’t see what?” she pressed, half guiding, half dragging the other woman behind one of the large carven columns.

“He was supposed to die!” Dietricha all but wailed. Camilla felt her blood run cold.

“How was supposed to die? Cydric?” Camilla’s own voice began to climb as Dietricha’s panic played upon her own fear for Cydric. Dietricha clasped her hands to her face.

“The architecht! The architect!” she all but sobbed and then turned and fled without another word, leaving a trail of confused party goers as she fled and trailing blue silk from her dress. Camilla hurried to the balcony where she found Cydric. His eyes were wide and his breath rapid, she could see his muscles clenching and unclenching.

“Have you been in a fight?” she asked, partially startled and partially relieved to find him alright after Dietricha’s theatrics.  For the hundredth time her hand went to her belt where her sword would normally have hung only to come away empty. 

“What happened to Rishnekov?” she asked looking around for the reagent. There didn’t seem to be any other obvious way to leave the balcony.

“I may have set him on fire and thrown him from the castle,” Cydric said leaning forward and placing his palms on his thighs to catch his breath. It took her a moment to realise he wasn’t joking and then they heard it. A scream of rage and pain made by no human thing somewhere far below them, the sound dopplered away faster than a horse should have been able to move.

“What in Ranalds name is…”

Alarm horns began to sound on the walls drawing their attentions to the east. A score of burning fireballs rose in graceful ballistic arcs before plunging down onto the walls and into the city. Smoke began to rise immediately and the screams of wounded men sounded faint on the wind. It seemed that the siege had officially begun. 


[@POOHEAD189]