"I can count the number of women I've disappointed on one hand, and I'd like to keep it that way." -Kasim, Page 1.
Amazonia ImperiiaWhether or not Count Richelieu intended it, there was a bit of a pause amongst the entire group the moment he spoke. The air, once tense, broke with an erupting fountain of laughter from the princess. She doubles over, her arms wrapping around her gut as the Queen looks somewhat confused.
"... We have not as yet, started the discussions?"Then, Garren has his turn speaking to each of the important leaders. Rather, all of them, at the same time.
It was at this point that the princess quite literally falls onto her back, still laughing, but not quite as hard as before.
"This... Is your top... Royal entourage?" She says, each pause being laughter and gasping for air. It was now that General Florence raises an eyebrow inquisitively, looking to Alexandria.
"Do you allow all of your men such... Liberal interpretations of social order?" He glances at Garren once, recognizing the man from many ages ago. Both eyebrows now raise in slight surprise.
"...A curious choice."Alexandria sighs and glances around. There was just two here. Thankfully then two had managed to receive her instructions. She stands up slowly, attempting her best to emulate Kouri's good graces despite her inner beast wanting nothing to do with such things, and walks over to her wayward men, resting her hands on both of their shoulders.
"Now, look... I know you wish to help here, it is quite admirable, but at the present time my role is to facilitate the negotiation process. Yours is--" Alexandria is interrupted by the princess, who was still laying on her back, arms crossed behind her head.
"Entertaining me!"The princess at that point takes a deep breath and in one, smooth movement, moves to her feet. The jungle around her seems quite willing to help her as vines push her back and help her to her feet, her hands outstretched. It was at this point readily apparent that she was a mage of some talent. She walks over to the table and leans down over it, resting her chin on her hands. It became noticeable at this point that she was tall for a woman, 6'2", even taller than Alexandria.
"You two interest me a great deal, speaking out of turn, speaking above your station..." The campfire behind her didn't illuminate her facial features beyond what had already been seen. Alexandria at this point chuckled to herself, remembering the first time she met Kouri. Stories still told of how she had hit Kouri to try to convince her of her importance.
"What's say you two help me prove a point, mm?" She whispers, her tone sultry but her eyes darting to Alexandria for a moment, whom glares back.
"I need help proving my mother isn't who she says she is. Look at her. So distant, so callous towards her own daughter..." Alexandria rolls her eyes.
"Back off." The princess puts on a pout, though Garren sees through it as being fake, and takes a step back from the table.
"Anyway... I could use help. If you wouldn't mind speaking to me... In private. In my tent, preferable." Florence looks at Garren and shakes his head. He didn't trust the princess, but then, if claims were true, he was likely corrupted by the queen.
The princess walks away towards her tent. There was nothing left, it seemed, but to either follow her immediately, or ask those remaining a few questions...
Meanwhile, Kraith & Traxilus would find that the princess' tent had no guards. The Queen's tent, however, did, and there seemed to be at least half a dozen others wandering around the area at any one time. Slipping into either tent would be difficult... Though the princess' tent was positioned in just such a way that its back was facing the thickest portions of the jungle, so one could potentially slip in through the back if they were willing to cut the tent open. Still. Within seconds of reaching the area, laughter erupted from the direction of the negotiation area, and this caused mixed reactions. Some of the Amazons went into the jungle to look for trouble, others went towards the meeting area to figure out what was going on. Either way, only a couple of Amazons and the Queen's guards remained.
As for the tents themselves, they were fairly large, and a cursory glance over the Queen's tent by Traxilus revealed a weak point small enough for Kraith to slip through, though, another opportunity presented itself in the form of a man, a little on the short side and looking fairly boyish in his appearance, walking to the entrance of the tent. It seemed he was there to clean the tent from what little bits of conversation the pair could pick up on. So one could potentially get in that way, though spending too much time inside the tent would likely arouse suspicion.
No other options appeared to present themselves as the princess arrived in the area, quickly darting into her tent. Whilst all the Amazons seemed quite aggressive and forward with their movements, her seemed especially so, maybe because of agitation, maybe because of excitement, perhaps another quality all of its own. Maybe this was just how their society worked. In any regard, this left only the queen's tent left as an immediate target for infiltration.
First BlowThailen Vicarris seemed to take the lead in moving forward through the thick fog. There didn't appear to be much left to really see or overhear, though the gecko from earlier returned on occasion, almost as though it were intentionally trying to find them to see where they were going. Alex seems to agree, though Maher's plan to clear the way with his magic was overly successful. Seeing as how fog was much thinner than water generally speaking, and that it was magically created, he managed to make clear a couple hundred feet ahead, and thinned out the fog overall. More of the landscape became visible around the group... As did the second signal flare, this one red.
Still. That was not the biggest problem.
The biggest problem was the row of about five undead between them and what appeared to be the upward slope of a hill. However, these undead seemed rather disinterested in the light, and instead just wandered about aimlessly. It was very likely that whatever would usually control them was either out of range or preoccupied. Almost as an added bonus, they all seemed to only be a few feet from one another, moving together as opposed to separately. They also appeared to be slow moving and poorly animated, giving the edge of dexterity in this case to the living... Then again, suspiciously, they all appeared to be wearing the same grey-black uniform, though tattered and shredded
If they all attacked together and hit separate targets at the same time they could likely make a clean sweep before moving up the hill towards the flare. However, doing that would take precious time, and there was always the option of attempting to either go around or move quickly
through the mindless undead, which would likely get them to the flare location quickly, but would leave enemies, mindless as they are, behind...
Royal BloodCrown-Prince Xavier looks over the group as each introduces themselves, one by one. He seemed to react in particular to two of them. Rayne Walker's smooth as ice transition from one personality to another intrigued him as he leaned forward in his throne, in the very dim light the red hue of his tunic became visible, and the second, Rayvon, her barely held back hostility telling him that she was perhaps angered by something in the past? Something out of his control, likely. He leans back in his throne as each one finishes.
"I see." He mutters. He then looks at Mikan.
"The fact that they sent you tells me how grave this situation is, considering you once broke into this very castle and left a note on my father's bed whilst he slept just to prove that you could." Mikan looks up at him and shrugs as she ceases with formality altogether, resting her hands on her hips.
"I was trying to warn you that your security was weak."Crown-Prince Xavier finally stands and steps down from his throne with a tiny upward curve on the edges of his lips on his quickly revealed face at the sight of Mikan. It seemed the two knew each other by reputation, though this didn't stop his somewhat
aged and uptight appearance from being shown. He glances towards each member of the group and nods accordingly, motioning for those still kneeling to stand.
"You may rise. I am not as formal as my father was." His daughter moves to stand but with a single motion from Xavier she sits back down, remaining shrouded in darkness. Either out of protectiveness, or distrust... Maybe both.
"Your quick arrival is appreciated." He whistles to the falcon, which quickly moves to his gloved hands. This motion set in turn a few other sounds of moving stone, as the falcon had been standing on a tiny glyph of magic, obscuring it from the great light at the centre of the room. The glyph lit up brightly, and after a few seconds, a large table and a set of chairs were quietly pushed over the glyph by large stone gargoyles. As the glyph is covered by the table and chairs, the gargoyles return to their positions.
"Normally we have a large, ornate carpet covering it which we can burn or remove with ease to activate the gargoyles to do... Whatever task the royalty wills them to do... However, the carpet was stained with my father's blood, and thus... It seemed only appropriate that while a new one is being retrieved from Tulerian merchants, that we have something keeping the glyph under control." He runs a gloved finger over the beak of the falcon, and then dismisses it.
It was at this point that he finally motioned for his
daughter, and she complied quickly and quietly. In her hands was a large bag full of documents. She leaves it on the table and then sits, quietly. Within the documents were details about the murder, names of potential witnesses and suspects... It was a book keeper's dream come true. Crown-Prince Xavier sits at the opposite end of his daughter, looking up for a moment at the darkened ceiling and nodding before looking back to the group, and a highly astonished Mikan.
"Please, sit." He motions with his arms to sit at any of the available chairs. Even with all of them seated there would likely be several empty seats.
"Sit, and ask... Any questions you need before proceeding with your investigation."Mikan glances at the daughter for a moment with a frown. Her eyes seemed filled with doubt as she stared down at the table. She then takes her seat next to the Crown-Prince, crossing her legs and leaning back into the chair.
"... Your daughter's name is?..." Xavier responds with a softness that didn't seem characteristic to his otherwise uptight appearance.
"Penelope... Princess Penelope. She was apparently in the room when it happened... She does not remember anything specific enough to be of aid." She continues to stare at the table, almost entirely unresponsive towards the discussion involving her.
Thus, it seemed the group had several choices. They could all focus on one particular piece of evidence or line of questioning, or they could all split their efforts... What would they do?
The Hunt For DianaAnd so, without any hesitation, the group weaved through the tightly packed streets towards the Weaver's Shop. The Crescent Sisters were of course the infamous trio turned duet who accompanied Kouri on her journey to banish the gods, and thus, their name was plastered everywhere. They were borderline folktale heroes, and many slavers dreamed of employing them, one way or another... Of course, all their dreams were crushed, they never worked with slavers, but dream they did.
The oppressive sun didn't let up, however. Dust and dirt and sand swirled around their feet as the wind slowly began to pick up in conjunction with the sun, irritating skin and eyes of the uninitiated to the Free Holds... That, or it was a sign that a sand storm was starting to gain some steam, and by the looks of several merchants starting to close up shop, it seemed that theory was holding up. Only the insane and the suicidal stayed out for the sand storms... So it looked as if their choice to go to the Weaver's shop was final.
Just as it seemed as though they would be caught in the horrifying, skin-sheering sand-coated winds of the storm, they reached the weaver's shop. At the entrance was a
tall fellow, armed with a bastard sword who was ushering them inside.
"COME ON, APPRENTICE OF TEILA! WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!" He notices the rest of the group following her and nods them inside.
"YOU LOT TOO! MOVE!"Inside they would find a wide assortment of clothing and a few changing booths, as well as a staircase to a second floor with a locked door and a basement door, also locked. The shop keeper was an elf, shaved bald, looking weary and pale but without the silver eyes that would mark his vampiric descent. Instead a pair of pale grey eyes would greet any who would enter the shop. Grey eyes that, strangely, would be full of life. There were a couple others as well, a dwarf and tall woman with a scar across the bridge of her nose wearing a mix of leather and chain mail armour. Aside from that, the shop was auspiciously vacant.
As for the one who watched over them, it seemed she had vanished... Much likely to preserve its own life. Or, maybe, it hid itself better.
Either way, it seemed that unless the group wanted to brave the storm, they had little choice but to enter and start asking questions... Or simply investigating the shop. Ultimately, it was up to them.
At the very least it does mean I can actually answer questions in a TIMELY MANNER! YES!
