Post by xaen on Aug 3, 2014 21:55:36 GMT 1
The rain hammered against the heavy wooden shutters of The Bloody Ruin. The shutters kept the water
out, but the volumous chatter from within the tavern drowned out the noise of the violent storm. The Ruin's patrons were
just as rowdy. Like any other dive in Orvenlum it was filled with vagabonds, cutthroats, mercenaries, and all manner of
unsavory folks of all races. A small band of half-orcs sat at a corner table near the door, dark haired and darker
skinned, bloodlust plain to see in their eyes and speech. Closer to the center of the large common room, a crew of wild
eyed pirates drank and fondled any waitress that ventured near, while their captain and his first mate engaged in
whispered conversation. At the bar hovered a motly group of mercenaries, hard skinned and seasoned their eyes surveyed the
patrons, weapons readily on hand ready for a fight. Even a trio of drow sat quietly around a dimly lit table near the back
wall, slender and handsome all three, but all extensively trained and precise killers. Citanul took them all in with a
single passing glance as he entered The Ruin. Not bothering to remove his hood, he casually made his way across the room
to a secluded table that sat in the center of the room but close to the wall opposite the door. Upon reaching the table,
he took the seat with its back facing the wall and stared back at the door through the crowd. Citanul sat there patiently
watching the door swing open and close as patrons came and went, for at least two hours before the man he was waiting for
entered the room. The man was shorter than most and when he pulled back his rain soaked hood revealed a pair of slightly
pointed ears. The wood elf spotted Citanul and hurried over, as he approached Citanul's eyes absorbed him. He wore a
finely tailored shirt, an emerald green with ocean blue trim and black buttons, that concealled a shirt of chainmail for
the most part. On his leather belt that held up his black trousers hung a pair of short bladed swords, a slight bulge near
his ankle belied the small dagger hidden there partially tucked in his boots. Like all elves he was lean with an atheletic
build, and moved with incredibly grace as he maneuvered through the boistrous crowd. His grass green eyes fixed on
Citanul, a stern look creased the sharp features of his face, and his short blonde hair a bird's nest on top of his head.
Standing in front of the seated Citanul, the elf hesitated and warily eyed his surroundings before taking the seat
opposite Citunal. He smirked at the elf from under his hood, for not a soul in that tavern would dare interfere with him
and his clients.
"Are you Citanul?" The elf asked sharply in a low tone that wouldn't be heard by the other patrons, though it was
unnessary they were too loud and self-absorbed to hear or notice, plus most there knew better than to snoop.
Citanul chuckled coldly from under his hood a sick grin spread across his face, "If I wasn't Landrin,
whatever your here to tell me might earn you a death sentence from the High Lord of Rinnadem himself. Besides don't you
recognise me from last time?"
Landrin noticeably flinched when Citanul spoke his name, and sneered at his snide comment, "I had to be sure, you are
a...man of many forms." Citanul simply continued to smile at him from under his dark hood and waited for Landrin to get to
the point. "He has a job for you, a very important and dangerous one, and he is willing to pay you handsomely." Landrin
paused for a moment as a waitress approached but was immediately waved away by Citanul. "Though he requires to meet you in
person in order to give you specifics, is that acceptable?"
"Of course," Citanul answered with a coldly amused smile.
Landrin slowly licked his lips, he had expected it to be harder to get the killer for hire to leave his lair since usually
Citanul refused to meet any client that Landrin knew of his anywhere else. "Then we shall head out immediately," he said
as he rose and started to turn to head for the door, but stopped when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
Citanul hadn't even moved a muscle. "We must leave immediately," He hissed at the assassin, who slowly tilted his head up
to meet his gaze.
"No"
"What? What did you say?" Landrin's voice fluttered with frustration and irriation as he locked gazes with Citanul, and
almost immediately looked away again. Nothing in the world disturbed Landrin like Citanul's eyes could, One was a solid
golden colour with no pupil, and the other was normal aside from its stunning violet iris.
"I said "No", it usually means that someone disagrees," Citanul chastised with an evil look in his
mismatched eyes, before turning his eyes at the door as it opened to allow a fourth drow elf entry.
Landrin short of temper was practically fuming at the chastisement and completely confused by Citanul's reply, for the
assassin had only moments ago agreed to go and now wouldn't. Landrin was about argue with the mysterious killer, when he
suddenly stood up and headed for the door, pausing briefly to signal Landrin to follow. Dumbfounded he did just that,
their course brought them close to the bar and the mercenaries that still ruled over the barstools. Citanul then suddenly
closed the distance between himself and the newest arrival in bar, who was ordering a drink with his back to the Citanul.
Next thing Landrin new, the dark elf fell to the tavern floor with the odd angle of his neck showing that it had been
cleanly broken. Landrin froze in a mix of terror and wonder for he hadn't even seen Citanul touch him, and apparrently no
else had either. The Bartender turned to hand the drow his drink and shouted in mild alarm at the corpse on his floor, but
recovered quickly. Any other patron that bothered to take notice of the dead drow whispered in surpised and edgy tones,
while keeping a watchful eye on everyone else around them. A sharp whistle silenced the bar and snapped Landrin back to
reality.
Citanul stood with The Bloody Ruin's front door partially cracked openly and called to Landrin, "Are
you going to stand there all night or are you coming?"
Landrin stuttered out an incomprehensible reply, and before he could properly answer something small sailed like a bowshot
across the tavern towards Citanul. Without hesitation Citanul caught the projectile and pocketed it in one swift motion,
Landrin barely had time to see one of the drow at the corner table sit back down. Clearing his throat he managed a weak
sounding assent before heading out the door with the legendary killer.
Citanul immediately spotted their means of travel through the sprawling streets of Orvenlum, a
beautiful, handcarved dark hardwood carriage. The driver wisely looked straight on up the road, obviously tense as he
wrung the reins of the four horse team. Two black garbed guards sat on opposite sides of the driver, both as wise as the
driver stared ahead. With out slowing, Citanul confidently strode across the street to the waiting carriage with Landrin
following close on his heels. When he was about ten feet from the carriage door, Citanul stopped dead in his tracks and
waited. Landrin was so close to him that the elf almost bumped into him. Scrambling in both fear and surprise, the wood
elf managed to sidestep him and slid up to the carriage, opened the door and impassively held it open. Citanul tilted his
head away from Landrin to hide the amused smile that covered his hidden face, as he stepped inside. The interior was no
less striking than the exterior, flawless crystal glass windows covered by plush blood red satin curtains, the benches
were comfortably padded and patterned with swirling images that covered the whole face of the faded blue velvet. Citanul
took the bench facing the front of the carriage, and Landrin sat across from him. Citanul raised his head up to stare
intently into Landrin's eyes, barely half a heartbeat past before Landrin turned his gaze out the window to the cold rainy
night. Citanul continued to stare at the wood elf, smiling and savouring how his mismatched eyes disturbed. Absent
mindedly he cupped his hands together and began to twist the plain silver ring on his right index finger. As the wagon
rolled along the slick cobblestone streets the two occupants sat in dead silence, their clothes quite damp from the brief
trip from inside the tavern to the carriage. Citanul eventually grew bored of looking at the elf, and so turned his
attention to his ring. Despite having owned the simple ring for years it still intrigued him for some reason. Since the
day he had found it, Citanul could not ever bring himself to remove it from his finger, though it caused him to develop
the bizzare habit of fiddling with it. Citanul consided the simple ring a boon to his life, he thought often of it and
what it was to him,and what it...
"We're here," Landrin stammered as he tried to make eye contact, while opening the carriage door.
Citanul rose from his bench quietly shaking his head in disgust with himself, for he had been so
absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the carriage come to a stop. A novice mistake. Landrin had exited ahead of
him and once again held the door open for him. Standing once again in the rain and under the lightening flashes in the
sky, Citanul took a moment to appreciate how the storm cast Castle Rinnadem in ominious manner. He stood in the courtyard
out side of the main hall of the fortress from where he stood he could nearly the whole of the building. The thick walls
of dark stone, covered with moisture shined eerily from the light cast by the lanterns to light the yard. The towers and
turrets, tall and solid, resisted the howling storm, the lightening revealing them fully with each bolt as if to say "You
cannot hide from me". The staggeringly high front of the castle itself was a sight to behold, the carvings of angels and
demons that decorated all of the reliefs seemed to come to life in the shadows of the lightening. Citanul slowly released
a breath from his lungs in a long sigh of admiration before he turned to Landrin, who had stood there beside him in
silence the whole while in the rain. Without a word Landrin turned away and headed to the heavy double doors, the two
guards that stood watch, seeing the wood elf approach opened the doors without hesitation. Apparently they were expected.
Citanul followed Landrin inside, standing in the main hall a butler scurried out of the shadows to take their soaked
cloaks. Landrin removed his and handed it to the butler with sparing the man so much as a glance, before he headed down
the hall. The butler turned to Citanul to take his, but Citanul waved him away as he followed Landrin. As he walked, his
mind absorbed his surroundings, but his eyes and hands had found their way back to the ring. Again his thoughts circled
around the thin band of metal that adorned his index. Citanul did know how far they had gone before Landrin stopped in
front a side door, knocked and then allowed himself and Citanul enterance into the room. Citanul decided that he didn't
care how long. Citanul arrested his eyes away from the ring back to the matters at hand.
The room was heavily lit, maps of countries, citys, and even a few continents were spread all over the tables that stood
evenly spaced around the room, rolled up peices of parchment with wax seals were scattered all over the place in neat
little piles. A war room. In quiet tones two men conversed over a table covered with a large map, and from Citanul could
see it was a continetal map of Venusia, with the borders of the kingdoms drawn in with coloured inks. From across the room
where Citanul stood he could also see the little models that generals used to symbolize troops and their movements.
Landrin approached one of the men and whispered in his ear. The man nodded, turned his companion spoke a few more quick
words and headed towards Citanul. Citanul recognised him immediately when he turned to face him. It was High Lord
Taeribane Jorningard himself.
"Pleasure to see you again, Mister Citanul," The High Lord politely said as he extendedhis hand to Citanul.
Citanul stood at the same height as the High LOrd and they looked eye to eye. The High Lord's ice
blue eyes didn't even twitch under Citanul's soul piercing gaze. Citanul clasped hands with the monarch out of new found
respect for the man, though he already began to contemplate all manners of ways to kill the brown haired warrior. Unlike
most nobility that Citanul had stood toe to toe with, Taeribane was clearly a man of action and had undoubtly killed. His
long brown hair was tied back in a warriors knot, a suit of chainmail peaked out from under his finery, and his longsword
hung loose in its scabbard at his waist.
"Indeed it is," Citanul answered in his cold monotoned voice as he released the High Lord's hand.
The High Lord smiled, placed a hand on Citanul's shoulder and guided him a nearby table. Citanul had to resist the urge to
snap the monarch's arm. Citanul eyed the map on the table, it was a highly detailed map of Velmara, a rival country on the
mainland in Venusia.
"One of two of my strongest political enemies," Taeribane explained with a wave of his hand to indicate the map as a
whole.
"And soon to be one of my strongest allies," Taeribane added with an amused smile, as he pulled a sealed scroll from his
jacket pocket and handed it to Citanul.
Nodding with his head the High Lord indicated the scroll in Citanul's hand, "That is an official Order of Queens, with an
authentic seal."
Citanul examined the wax seal of the invaulable scrool, and confirmed that it bore the symbol of the
Council of Fifteen Queens, Fifteen dots circled around an elaborately stylized V. Such scrolls could only be issued by the
Fifteen Queens of Venumeria themselves, Citanul briefly wondered how the High Lord had managed to secure such a thing, but
soon decided that he didn't care. He began to twist the ring on his finger, but kept his eyes on Taeribane.
"I am not going to say anything more until you agree to accept this task," Taeribane stated flatly, without saying what
that task was, not that he needed to.
"Agreed," Citanul answered without hesitation, his hands still fiddling with his ring rubbing the
skin red and raw.
Taeribane smiled knowingly, with excitement clear in his eyes though he was wise enough to keep it from his facial
expressions as he detailed his plan, "Excellent. This is your task. Simply put you are to kill the Empress of Velmara and
plant this scroll on the body of a dupe. If you complete your task properly Velmara's next Empress will immediately
declare war on Velnumeria, ending their ceasefire. The Velmunerians of course will deny the assassination, but will not
back down from a war. Once the war gets under way, I will offer my aid to both sides. Discreetly of course, I will bleed
their coffers dry and while they wear each other down. When both are amply weakened Rinnadem and Sayken will enter the
fray stronger than ever, and raze both kingdoms of backstabbing bitches to the ground."
"You may kill the Empress and anyone who gets in your way in any manner you see fit as long as the blame can be fixed on
Velnumeria. Any questions?" Taeribane surmized locking gazes with Citanul.
"No," Citanul simply answered. Taeribane smiled and believed them to be in agreement and so signalled
Landrin to escort Citanul out. Citanul clasped hands with the High Lord once more before turning to follow Landrin out. As
he followed the wood elf through the castle, Citanul unconsiosly continued to fiddle with his silver treasure, blood oozed
from the frayed skin on his finger. Upon reaching the door, Landrin pulled it open and held it for Citanul. As Citanul
past him, the fact that he was leaving must have steeled Landrin's nerves for he sneered at the assassin as he past and
spat at his heels.
In an instant, a dagger emerged from the folds of Citanul's thick cloak like a coiled viper. Before the wood elf realized
what had happened Citanul stabbed him twice in the chest, once in each lung. Gasping in fear, suprise, and pain the elf
stumbled away from the door choking on blood as his lungs began to fill with the dense liquid. Feebily Landrin drew his
blades. Wheezing and struggling to stay standing as he slowly suffacated, facing Citanul head on. Citanul watched him
impassively as the elf quiveredon shakey legs, that gradually caved from beneath him. Landrin's shortswords beat the rest
of him to the floor by a fraction of a second. Blood slowly pooled around the body, nothing in the castle stirred or made
a whisper of sound, as Citanul stood calmly over the elf's corpse.
Then suddenly the butler that had attended them when he and Landrin had first arrived appeared, cool and collected, from
the same side passage. Casually he extended his hand out to the Citanul. Looking to the man's hand, Citanul saw and
collected the small bundle into the folds of his cloak. With a shared look of acknowledgement, the assassin and the man
who was actually not a butler, went their seperate ways. One out into the streets, and the other to the body of his dead
brother.
The tenday since his visit with High Lord Taeribane went by faster than he had expected. It had only taken him a day to
find transport from Rinnadem to Velmara, and to gather the few supplies he would need for the task at hand. The next three
days after that had been a swift trip aboard the schooner "Sea Devil", and once they made land it only took him two days
to get from Winghaunt to The Vault of Symphonies. Velmara's Capitol, the seat of the Empress herself. The days after his
arrival in the capitol, Citanul had spent finishing the last key peices of his plan to murder the Empress. He smiled
wickedly to himself at the thought as he waded through the streets to find the slave vendor with whom he had made said
final arrangements...
Empress Felynwa Xui stood high and straight on a grand podium in the Chamber of Voices deep inside Citadel Vel. Her
prescence on the heavily decorated silver podium, silenced the mounting arguement in chamber that held the Empress' Court.
Currently her Court was formed of nineteen noble matriarchs rather than the standard twenty, and thus was the source of
the arguement. The former twenieth matriarch and her holdings had been eliminated by a rival Family. Normally that Family
would be awarded the position, but that Family at its moment of triumph was destroyed from within by male family members
that had seceeded to the country of Sayken. With so many other Families eligible for the position, the Empress and Court
were obligated to elect the next Matriarch. The Court was divided on electing one of two Families, House Ryil or House
Konma, and Empress Felynwa had enough of the bitter arguement. The entire Court watched her in absolute silence waiting
eagerly for her to speak.
"Since I see both Houses as beneficial to this Court, and that my Court is also divided on the decision, we shall cast a
vote," She declared calmly in a cold emotionless voice as she swept her shining golden eyes across those assembled. The
Empress held the silence for a few moments before raising her left hand, "Those in favor of House Ryil?". The assembly
stirred slightly as hands were raised, and a tally taken. Another brief pause, "Those in favor of House Konma?". Again a
gentle stir as votes were cast, the end tally in favor of House Konma. "With this final matter settled, I believe..."
"Excuse me, your Grace," Matriarch Donnala Ezzairmar interrupted as she gently rose from her seat, drawing startled gazes
from half of the assembly and a cool look from the Empress.
"Speak favored Donnala," The Empress commanded without missing a beat in a tone that suggested that Donnala should tread
lightly.
The Matriarch of House Ezzairmar bowed respectfully before speaking, "I have information that suggests that House Konma is
not fit for such a position." A couple grumbled comments and muttered curses, and a few dangerous looks grazed her but
Donnala was hardly fazed. The Empress tilted her head back slightly in mild interest and waved a hand for her to continue.
Donnala carefully extracted a scroll from her form fitting robes that beautiful accented her body and posture, and laid it
onto the table turning it so the wax seal faced the Empress. The Seal was a stylized V with a circle of fifteen dots
surrounding it. The symbol of the Council of Fifteen Queens, of Venumeria. "This was found in the possession of the
Matriarch of House Konma!" Matriarch Ezzairmar declared with a flourish as the chamber doors opened and two imperial
soldiers dragged in a beaten and naked Kiywa Konma, the Matriarch of that House. Excited and shocked whispers rasped
loudly throughout the room as the two heavily trained and armored female guards dragged the semi-concious Matriarch to
kneel at the base of the Empress' podium. The Empress smiled widely and shared a knowing look with Donnala for they had
planned this entire event before hand, while leaving all the others in shock and fear. It didn't take long for the room to
hush under the Empress' wicked smile, for it wasn't hard for them to understand that she and Donnala had planned this.
As one the assembly turned to regard the Empress, who stood six foot one, with long and lushous scarlet hair that reached
her ankles. Her cold shimmering gold-hued eyes combing the room as her soft and tender lips curled away from a mouth full
of straight white teeth, her small nose making the smile look both deadly and sweet. She in truth wore very little, but
what she did wear provided just as much if not more protection than a full suit of platemail. Silver chains and bands
wrapped senuously around her lithe and athletic body, that mostly connected to a beautiful silver choker inlaid with a
large ruby around her throat, and then down to a few small silver plates to provide a tiny bit of modesty. The outfit of
magical silver was an heirloom of the Empress' for countless generations, providing ample protecion and displaying their
rare beauty and power in an eye catching display. Once all eyes were on her Empress Felynwa purred senuously as she spoke
not only to kneeling and defeated Matriarch, but to the assembly as well. "Matriarch Konma, you have committed treason of
the vilest fashion," She told her coldly, Kiywa shuddered in fear with her eyes firmly on the floor,"The punishment is
obviously death, but that death shall be swift if you name your accomplice." A collective gasp of terror emerged from the
assembly aside from Matriarch Ezzairmar, who smiled proudly and calmly to herself. Kiywa didn't even hesitate more than a
second before pointing an accusory finger at several other Matriarchs on the Court, all of which immediately panicked.
Leaping from their seats, hands and mouths already into patterns of spellcasting, but a simple gesture from the Empress
destroyed their spells. As their panic turned to terror they drew their weapons, but only to face a room quickly filling
with Imperial soldiers, with not a male amongst them. "You need not lay down your arms for none of you traitors shall
leave this chamber," The Empress cackled as she began a spell of her own, the Imperial Soldiers blocked all of the exits
preventing escape, the whole while those unaccused remained seated, deeply confused and filled with terror. The traitors
lacking of courage attempt to flee for the doors, but they were quickly cut down by bands of soldiers. Those who retained
their courage charged the Empress' podium, but they were too slow. "Those who are loyal to me, fear not for the
benevolence of your Empress shall guard you!" Empress Xui cried wild eyed with blood lust as she finished her spell. As
one the traitors faltered in their charge, dropping their weapons and grabbing their robes. The fabric of their robes
began to constrict and burn them as if the material was made of sulferic acid. Their screams filled the air as they
collapsed to the floor trying desperately to remove the thick ceremonial robes, but the fabric would not yeild to their
clawing hands. Soon they screaming ceased as suddenly as it started as the constricting outfits began to crush their lungs
while the acid melted them away. The whole event was over in less than twenty minutes. As the last traitous Matriarch
succumbed the Imperial guards left the hall as quicklyas they had arrived, leaving a little more than half the Court
remaining stunned and silent, with Kiywa Konma softly crying and begging for mercy on the floor at the Empress' feet.
"Excellent work, Matriarch Ezzairmar. Your plan has come to marvelous fruition," The Empress purred sweetly as she
gestured in respect to her faithful servant, ignoring the whimpering Kiywa and the confused and terrified looks of her
Court.
"You are generous my Empress," Donnala cooed as she bowed deeply, a smug look firmly affixed to her face.
The Empress smiled and tilted her head respectfully back to the head of House Ezzairmar, before her expression hardened
and turned cold, "Let this be warning to all who are present here and those who are not, your Empress does not suffer
fools lightly."
"Yes Empress," came the automatic reply from all of the remaing Court members.
"Excellent this Court is adjorned," Felynwa declared, but as she moved to descend her podium to leave the chamber, Kiywa
whimpered again. The Empress halted her regal march to turn a disgusted and furious sneer at the snivelling, naked and
prostrate woman. "I forgot that you were there worm. You deserve a death in kind to theirs," she gestured at the vile
husks that remained of Kiywa's co-conspirators, "But my word is law, and my word is truth.". The Empress approached the
begging woman and drew a small silver dagger from somewhere on her revealing outfit and laid it gently against the woman's
throat. Kiywa began to openly sob as the blade pricked her skin earning her a sickened look from Felynwa. Without a
moments warning the blade suddenly opened her throat from ear to ear, making her sputter and choke on her own blood. It
was over in a few heartbeats. Completely disgusted at Kiywa's behavior, Felynwa quickly cleaned and sheathed the blade.
Muttering to herself about allowing such a weakling to ascend to such an important position in her heirarchy. "Be gone!"
She commanded those her Court that had not yet left, causing them to hastily scurry for the exits. "And someone clean this
mess up!" She roared to no one in particular as she stormed out of the chamber through the halls towards her private
chambers. As she walked she steadied her breathing and calmed herself down, as she gently massaged her temples. She
decided to turn her thoughts to what awaited her in her chambers, and the pleasures that waited. Since Donnala was
Felynwa's closest confidant, she new all of the Empress' desires and had delivered such a desire before the Court meeting.
As she approached her room, she dismissed the guards with a dark look and a wave of her hand before entering her majestic
bedchamber. Upon entering the room what remained of Felynwa's frustrations and anger immediately evapourated as she
admired her latest treasures. For on the bed lay three naked bodies, two female and one male, all three incredibly
attractive and all three heavily bound. All three stopped their thrashing against their bonds turning fearful gazes to the
woman that had entered the room, for they all surely knew who she was, same as she knew of them.
They were the three eldest children of House Konma, captured earlier that evening by her and Donnala's servants for her
sexual pleasure. All three had seen at least twenty winters, and Felynwa found all three surpirsingly attractive for a
change. For this was her private tradition, for whenever she defeated an opponent she made sure to capture two daughters
and one son of her foes (if possible), and took great pleasure in taking full satisfaction from such a devilish prize.
With a sinister smile, Felynwa sealed her chamber doors and began to remove her marvelous chain-link outfit as she turned
back to the bed. Her eyes closed as ran her smooth hands across her curvy body, without in a slight concern for her
safety. For in her chambers, she feared no harm for those in the room were defenseless and no one in the world could
possibly gain entrance to her heavily warded bedchamber without her expressed permission. As she strode across the last
few feet of the chamber to the massive bed, Felynwa opened her eyes and stopped cold in her tracks. The two women remained
where they were staring fearfully at Felynwa, but their male counterpart was simply gone! The Empress immediately whirled
around, but saw no one behind her just her magical silver outfit sprawled on the floor. Cautiously she turned about the
room, the words of a spell spilling fast from her lips. As her turn brought a full three-sixty back to the bed and her
spell neared its end, she realized her error. Felynwa suddenly threw herself back away from the four-posted bed as the
male descend to the floor, burying a long dagger into the floorboards. He cursed softly as he jerked the dagger free in a
single powerful pulled, despite it being buried to the hilt in the wooden floor. Felynwa stared in wide-eyed shock as the
now dressed and armed male leaped towards her from his crouched position, hasty incantations spilling from her plump-lips.
To be completed just in time. The dagger descended just as she flung her left-hand towards her assailent, a powerful wave
of invisible force lifted and tossed the man across the room like a ragdoll fired from a catapult. He crashed loudly
against her armoire and bedside table across the room, splintering wood and knocking antiques from their perches atop the
furniture to smash against the floor. The Empress laughed in triumph at the racket for surely her guards had heard the
noise and would come running, for she knew that she was unable to cast anything more for she had used most of her spells
earlier that day against House Konma and its conspirators.
Her thrill of victory was quick to fade as the man slowly pulled himself from the wreckage of the furniture, and still no
sound of renforcements coming for her aid. How is this possible?! she wondered in slowly mounting terror as the man rose
unharmed from the wreckage. His bones should be broken beyond use! she mentally cried in denial as she backed away from
her steadily approaching assailent. Once he was in arms reach she lashed out in a quick and powerful jab, hopeing to slow
him down for at least a moment, but he simply deflected the hit with his free hand. Before that hand thrust back in to
grab her throat and hoist her into the air. She stared down into eyes filled with fire and an incomprehensible rage on a
face that in no way resembled the man that had lain tied and gagged on her bed mere minutes ago! As the dagger found its
way into her stomach, a wound that would kill slowly. The whole while he held her shaking more so in rage than actually
fatigue from holding her high. As her vision faded, Felynwa took silent satisfaction in the fact that her attack had hurt
him after all.
Citanul tossed the Empress' limp body away from himself, barely controlling the mounting rage that
boiled inside him, for her attack had indeed harmed him just not in any manner that she had intended. Taking slow breaths
and taking a moment to focus his mind, Citanul turned to the Empress' discarded silver-chain outfit and carefully removed
the choker from the rest of the ensemble. Pocketing the trinket and heading for the door, when a soft barely audible sound
reached his ear. He turned back around to the bed and nearly laughed aloud. The two female prisoners stared wildly back
and forth between each other and him, their eyes revealing their unspoken fears. With an evil smile he slit their throats
and then pulled a fourth body out from under the bed. The true body of the prisoner's brother. Citanul casually planted
his dagger into the chest of the still living man, killing him instantly. The body of the brother however was still full
dressed, and as such Citanul slipped two items into the deadman's pockets, one item the scroll from the High Lord and the
other a small polished stone. The stone a magical focus for a teleportation spell. As Citanul moved away from the
brother's body to those of his sisters', he drew out two more matching stones and placed one into the mouths of each
sister. Taking care to gently nestle it at the back of their mouths viced between their tongues and back teeth. And viola!
A clear scene for all to behold. The sisters' obviously duped to carry the matching focus' for a teleportation spell so
that even if one of them failed to reach the Empress' bedchamber, their brother could still bypass the wards in order to
slay the Empress, but he was struck down in his attempt for the Empress though mortally wounded had taken the dagger and
took revenge upon her assailents before succumbing to her wounds. Citanul the whole while he set up the staged attack,
mentally chastised himself for almost leaving before he had finished his mission. Once he was finished his task properly
this time, Citanul exited Citadel Vel the same way he had entered...through the front door.
He was three blocks away before the alarms went off inside the Empress' Citadel, and he couldn't help but laugh wildly to
himself as he navigated the streets of the city known as the Vault of Symphonies. His laughter earning him conercerned
glances from bypassers and muttered comments about his sanity but he didn't care. After a while he reached the tavern he
had rented a room in and went inside to said room. Once he sealed the oak portal to his small rented room behind him,
Citanul strode across the room to the small desk that lay up against the far wall under the small window. On the desk as
he expected was a small sealed scroll, delivered by a carrier pigeon judging from the two splotches of bird refuce on the
sill. Thoughtfully Citanul handled the scroll admiring the wax seal, with the intials RA formed into the wax. He didn't
even need to open it to know that the letter itself would be signed with the same two letters, RA. Citanul opened it and
read it quickly before tearing it into tiny peices. He set out that evening to meet his longest and truest employer for
the first time in the ten years that he had been in RA's employ.
A string of heavy knocks pounding against Annalyth's bedchamber door stirred her from her deep
slumber. Groggily she rose from her lush silken covers and soft feather pillows to snap at her disturber, but the voice
that called over the forciful knocks quickly changed her mind.
"Annalyth! You have been summoned to the Matriarch's Chamber! Immediately!" Annalyth's oldest sister Gabreitha thundered
as she ceased trying to knock the door from its hinges.
At Gabreitha's proclaimtion, Annalyth threw back her covers and practically leapped from her bed. The
chill morning air causing her to shiver and raising gooseflesh on her exposed skin, as she rushed around her chambers
dressing. The whole while she could her Gabreitha grumbling under her breath just outside her door. "I'll be out in a
moment!" She called with as much respect in her voice as she could manage, for sleep still fogged corners of her mind and
the last thing she wanted to do was start a war with her ruthless sister. An irritated huff answered her from the hallway.
Quickly strapping on her dual wakizashis, she unlocked the door and strode boldly into the hallway with her head held high
to face her sister. Gabreitha was not much taller and thinner than Annalyth, but Annalyth knew that Gabreitha could easily
hoist her into the air and toss her across the room if she wanted to. They shared hair and eye colours, and a number of
their mother's features, but personality wise they were dramatically different. Gabreitha was violent, ruthless, and
always on the edge of angry meltdown. Where as Annalyth was friendly, peaceful and kind, but that was only on the inside.
On the outside she acted cold, calculating and wicked, for anything else would not be accepted without severe punishment.
After sharing an intense glare, the two eldest sisters of the Ezzairmar Family imperiously stalked their way through the
Ezzairmar Mansion in absolute silence. The whole while Annalyth wondered what it would be like if her relationships with
her sisters weren't so cold and uncaring, but rather warm and inviting. She knew these thoughts where futile for Venusian
Society would destroy them quickly and without mercy for such weak sentiments.
It didn't take them long to reach their mother's lavish throne room, decorated with statues depicting previous matriarchs
of the Family, luxurious tapestries and antiques of incredible value, and all of which highly accented with the silver
Venusia was reknowned worldwide for. On a raised podium at the rooms center, seated on her high backed throne sat
Annalyth's and Gabreitha's mother, Matriarch Donnala Ezzairmar, a woman of incredible physical prescence. Her long crimson
hair flowed elegantly down her shoulders, her golden eyes peircing from the black shadow around them, her jaw thought
sharp and pronouced was still atractively alluring, her armor form fitting and seductively cut, her whole ensemble
bedecked with shimmering silver. The one trait that really helped their mother's naturally overpowering prescence,
Annalyth thought as her mother rose from her throne with the grace of a hunting cat, was her mother's height. For the
Matriarch of Ezzairmar stood barely a few inches short of seven feet without the supple leather boots she wore. Annalyth
and her sister automatically bowed as their mother rose, and Annalyth did her best not to avert her gaze when her mother
fixed her iron cold smile on her.
"Annalyth, my sweet child, where have you been these past few months? For you have not set foot my chambers in all that
time," Matriarch Donnala purred in a voice so devoid of loving emotions that it made Annalyth's skin crawl. With a gesture
from their mother, the two eldest daughters rose from their kneeling positions on the floor.
Annalyth chose her words carefully before answering, "You are correct Matriarch, I have long
neglected to visit your chambers. Forgive me for I have been expanding my knowledge of swordsplay and magic these past few
months, and time has slipped through my fingers as I focused intensely on my studies."
Matriarch Donnala waved the answer away almost immediately as if it hardly mattered, a reaction fair from the explosive
response Annalyth had been expecting, and from the disappointed frown Gabreitha was now wearing so was she. The Matriarch
of Ezzairmar eyed them carefully in silence for what seemed an eternity before she spoke again. "Have you heard the
heartbreaking news my daughters?" Donnala asked in a gentle tone. The two sisters, long time rivals, for the first time
shared a look of mutual confusion at their mother's words. The Matriarch didn't even wait for a reply, as she coldly
declared, "Empress Felynwa Xui has been murdered in her chambers by servants of Council of Fifteen Queens!" Annalyth
gasped in disblief while her sister loudly cursed the Venumerians, as their mother told them in full detail what had
happened to the Empress. Matriarch Ezzairmar silenced with an even look, "And as such her eldest daughter, Sariana has
taken the throne. Hail Empress Sariana Xui!" On cue her daughters and the all female guards in the room responded as one,
"Hail Velmara!". "Dearest daughters a dangerous time approaches our family, for the new Empress must soon select her
favoured families. Though we held high standing with the late Empress, as custom demands we must prove ourselves to our
new Empress as if none of that ever existed! As such Gabreitha, you shall begin gathering information on ALL of the other
families. Find me which ones prove an open threat, go now and send your younger sisters to me before you depart for you
task!"
Gabreitha bowed with a wicked smile on her face before turning and marching out of the chamber, a
hurricane with hopes of violence to come. Annalyth quietly waited for her mother to address her, but her mother ignored
her the whole time it took for her three younger sisters, Mayliss, Kalyn, and Serthe to arrive. Even after their arrival,
Matriarch Donnala ignored her prescence as she gave her orders to Annalyth's younger siblings. Annalyth immediately began
to worry and fear over what her mother had planned for her. Once the other three bowed and departed the chamber, the
gentle call of her mother's voice pulled her from her dark and terrifying thoughts.
"Annalyth. My most favoured child. Your task is the most important and the most dangerous of all," Donnala addressed her
with an impassive look on her beautiful face, "You my dear shall discover who murdered the Empress and kill him."
The words knocked Annalyth back on her heels, and she blinked mulitple times to confirm that she was
not dreaming. "What?!?" she asked stupidly as her mind reeled over the implecations.
"The killer was not caught and from what little is known of how the murder occured, the Empress has offered a substancial
reward to whichever Family discovers how the killer managed to enter the Empress' personnal chambers and to the Family
that returns the Killer's head to the Empress," Donnala explained coolly with an unreadable expression dominating her
face.
"Wait, you said "Kill him" before. How do you know it was a lowly male?" Annalyth inquired as she
absorbed this new information.
Donnala smiled, "Indeed it was a male, for I sent him there along with two females...."
Annalyth at first was confused, but then she gasped in shock at the realization, "The prisoners we
sent as a gift to the Empress. Which means if any body found that out we would be blamed for her death and then..." The
end result needn't be spoken aloud for Donnala smiled grimly as she nodded in agreement with Annalyth. "But if we find the
assassin and prove our allegience to the new Empress, we shall be exonerated," She reasoned again earning a grim nod of
agreement from her mother. Annalyth softly chewed on her lip as she mulled the concept through her troubled thoughts,
before asking, "How shall I proceed with my investigation?"
Donnala reelled back in mock surprise, gently clutching her hands to her chest, "Why with the ruthless determination, with
the fate of your House as your deepest concern." She smiled wickedly and flourished her right hand towards the door, "You
may begin your task posthaste my favoured child, Now go for the glory of House Ezzairmar."
"Great so basically I'm on my own without any sense of directionor aid from my "family"," Annalyth
thought quietly to herself as she bowed respectfully to her matriarch and automotonomously replied, "Of course, Matriarch.
For House Ezzairmar!", before turning on her heels and hastily exiting her mother's chambers. As she marched silently to
her private quarters, her mind was screaming in tightly restrained terror as her mind whirled wildly as she tried to
figure out her mother's intentions. For clearly this task was designed to her make or break her, there would be no way to
escape this task or have it pawned off to one of her sisters. Her shoulders sagged at that realization, for that meant she
would either become fully engaged in House politics or unceremoniously executed. Which ultimately meant either way she
would never be able to leave to make her own way in the world. Reaching her quarters she took a deep breath and exhaled
all of the doubts, fears, and misgivings she had in that breath, and began to gather things she felt she would need as she
dressed in her leather armour. Annalyth the whole while she collected her things thought about where in Velmara she would
begin her investigation. Soon she filled a small travelling pack and had decided to head for Slave District, to figure out
how the slaves given as gifts to the Empress by her mother had some how slipped through without being properly searched.
With in half an hour she was out walking the streets of the Vault of Symphonies, hesitently ready to start her horribly
uninformed investigation of the Empress' murderer.
out, but the volumous chatter from within the tavern drowned out the noise of the violent storm. The Ruin's patrons were
just as rowdy. Like any other dive in Orvenlum it was filled with vagabonds, cutthroats, mercenaries, and all manner of
unsavory folks of all races. A small band of half-orcs sat at a corner table near the door, dark haired and darker
skinned, bloodlust plain to see in their eyes and speech. Closer to the center of the large common room, a crew of wild
eyed pirates drank and fondled any waitress that ventured near, while their captain and his first mate engaged in
whispered conversation. At the bar hovered a motly group of mercenaries, hard skinned and seasoned their eyes surveyed the
patrons, weapons readily on hand ready for a fight. Even a trio of drow sat quietly around a dimly lit table near the back
wall, slender and handsome all three, but all extensively trained and precise killers. Citanul took them all in with a
single passing glance as he entered The Ruin. Not bothering to remove his hood, he casually made his way across the room
to a secluded table that sat in the center of the room but close to the wall opposite the door. Upon reaching the table,
he took the seat with its back facing the wall and stared back at the door through the crowd. Citanul sat there patiently
watching the door swing open and close as patrons came and went, for at least two hours before the man he was waiting for
entered the room. The man was shorter than most and when he pulled back his rain soaked hood revealed a pair of slightly
pointed ears. The wood elf spotted Citanul and hurried over, as he approached Citanul's eyes absorbed him. He wore a
finely tailored shirt, an emerald green with ocean blue trim and black buttons, that concealled a shirt of chainmail for
the most part. On his leather belt that held up his black trousers hung a pair of short bladed swords, a slight bulge near
his ankle belied the small dagger hidden there partially tucked in his boots. Like all elves he was lean with an atheletic
build, and moved with incredibly grace as he maneuvered through the boistrous crowd. His grass green eyes fixed on
Citanul, a stern look creased the sharp features of his face, and his short blonde hair a bird's nest on top of his head.
Standing in front of the seated Citanul, the elf hesitated and warily eyed his surroundings before taking the seat
opposite Citunal. He smirked at the elf from under his hood, for not a soul in that tavern would dare interfere with him
and his clients.
"Are you Citanul?" The elf asked sharply in a low tone that wouldn't be heard by the other patrons, though it was
unnessary they were too loud and self-absorbed to hear or notice, plus most there knew better than to snoop.
Citanul chuckled coldly from under his hood a sick grin spread across his face, "If I wasn't Landrin,
whatever your here to tell me might earn you a death sentence from the High Lord of Rinnadem himself. Besides don't you
recognise me from last time?"
Landrin noticeably flinched when Citanul spoke his name, and sneered at his snide comment, "I had to be sure, you are
a...man of many forms." Citanul simply continued to smile at him from under his dark hood and waited for Landrin to get to
the point. "He has a job for you, a very important and dangerous one, and he is willing to pay you handsomely." Landrin
paused for a moment as a waitress approached but was immediately waved away by Citanul. "Though he requires to meet you in
person in order to give you specifics, is that acceptable?"
"Of course," Citanul answered with a coldly amused smile.
Landrin slowly licked his lips, he had expected it to be harder to get the killer for hire to leave his lair since usually
Citanul refused to meet any client that Landrin knew of his anywhere else. "Then we shall head out immediately," he said
as he rose and started to turn to head for the door, but stopped when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
Citanul hadn't even moved a muscle. "We must leave immediately," He hissed at the assassin, who slowly tilted his head up
to meet his gaze.
"No"
"What? What did you say?" Landrin's voice fluttered with frustration and irriation as he locked gazes with Citanul, and
almost immediately looked away again. Nothing in the world disturbed Landrin like Citanul's eyes could, One was a solid
golden colour with no pupil, and the other was normal aside from its stunning violet iris.
"I said "No", it usually means that someone disagrees," Citanul chastised with an evil look in his
mismatched eyes, before turning his eyes at the door as it opened to allow a fourth drow elf entry.
Landrin short of temper was practically fuming at the chastisement and completely confused by Citanul's reply, for the
assassin had only moments ago agreed to go and now wouldn't. Landrin was about argue with the mysterious killer, when he
suddenly stood up and headed for the door, pausing briefly to signal Landrin to follow. Dumbfounded he did just that,
their course brought them close to the bar and the mercenaries that still ruled over the barstools. Citanul then suddenly
closed the distance between himself and the newest arrival in bar, who was ordering a drink with his back to the Citanul.
Next thing Landrin new, the dark elf fell to the tavern floor with the odd angle of his neck showing that it had been
cleanly broken. Landrin froze in a mix of terror and wonder for he hadn't even seen Citanul touch him, and apparrently no
else had either. The Bartender turned to hand the drow his drink and shouted in mild alarm at the corpse on his floor, but
recovered quickly. Any other patron that bothered to take notice of the dead drow whispered in surpised and edgy tones,
while keeping a watchful eye on everyone else around them. A sharp whistle silenced the bar and snapped Landrin back to
reality.
Citanul stood with The Bloody Ruin's front door partially cracked openly and called to Landrin, "Are
you going to stand there all night or are you coming?"
Landrin stuttered out an incomprehensible reply, and before he could properly answer something small sailed like a bowshot
across the tavern towards Citanul. Without hesitation Citanul caught the projectile and pocketed it in one swift motion,
Landrin barely had time to see one of the drow at the corner table sit back down. Clearing his throat he managed a weak
sounding assent before heading out the door with the legendary killer.
Citanul immediately spotted their means of travel through the sprawling streets of Orvenlum, a
beautiful, handcarved dark hardwood carriage. The driver wisely looked straight on up the road, obviously tense as he
wrung the reins of the four horse team. Two black garbed guards sat on opposite sides of the driver, both as wise as the
driver stared ahead. With out slowing, Citanul confidently strode across the street to the waiting carriage with Landrin
following close on his heels. When he was about ten feet from the carriage door, Citanul stopped dead in his tracks and
waited. Landrin was so close to him that the elf almost bumped into him. Scrambling in both fear and surprise, the wood
elf managed to sidestep him and slid up to the carriage, opened the door and impassively held it open. Citanul tilted his
head away from Landrin to hide the amused smile that covered his hidden face, as he stepped inside. The interior was no
less striking than the exterior, flawless crystal glass windows covered by plush blood red satin curtains, the benches
were comfortably padded and patterned with swirling images that covered the whole face of the faded blue velvet. Citanul
took the bench facing the front of the carriage, and Landrin sat across from him. Citanul raised his head up to stare
intently into Landrin's eyes, barely half a heartbeat past before Landrin turned his gaze out the window to the cold rainy
night. Citanul continued to stare at the wood elf, smiling and savouring how his mismatched eyes disturbed. Absent
mindedly he cupped his hands together and began to twist the plain silver ring on his right index finger. As the wagon
rolled along the slick cobblestone streets the two occupants sat in dead silence, their clothes quite damp from the brief
trip from inside the tavern to the carriage. Citanul eventually grew bored of looking at the elf, and so turned his
attention to his ring. Despite having owned the simple ring for years it still intrigued him for some reason. Since the
day he had found it, Citanul could not ever bring himself to remove it from his finger, though it caused him to develop
the bizzare habit of fiddling with it. Citanul consided the simple ring a boon to his life, he thought often of it and
what it was to him,and what it...
"We're here," Landrin stammered as he tried to make eye contact, while opening the carriage door.
Citanul rose from his bench quietly shaking his head in disgust with himself, for he had been so
absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the carriage come to a stop. A novice mistake. Landrin had exited ahead of
him and once again held the door open for him. Standing once again in the rain and under the lightening flashes in the
sky, Citanul took a moment to appreciate how the storm cast Castle Rinnadem in ominious manner. He stood in the courtyard
out side of the main hall of the fortress from where he stood he could nearly the whole of the building. The thick walls
of dark stone, covered with moisture shined eerily from the light cast by the lanterns to light the yard. The towers and
turrets, tall and solid, resisted the howling storm, the lightening revealing them fully with each bolt as if to say "You
cannot hide from me". The staggeringly high front of the castle itself was a sight to behold, the carvings of angels and
demons that decorated all of the reliefs seemed to come to life in the shadows of the lightening. Citanul slowly released
a breath from his lungs in a long sigh of admiration before he turned to Landrin, who had stood there beside him in
silence the whole while in the rain. Without a word Landrin turned away and headed to the heavy double doors, the two
guards that stood watch, seeing the wood elf approach opened the doors without hesitation. Apparently they were expected.
Citanul followed Landrin inside, standing in the main hall a butler scurried out of the shadows to take their soaked
cloaks. Landrin removed his and handed it to the butler with sparing the man so much as a glance, before he headed down
the hall. The butler turned to Citanul to take his, but Citanul waved him away as he followed Landrin. As he walked, his
mind absorbed his surroundings, but his eyes and hands had found their way back to the ring. Again his thoughts circled
around the thin band of metal that adorned his index. Citanul did know how far they had gone before Landrin stopped in
front a side door, knocked and then allowed himself and Citanul enterance into the room. Citanul decided that he didn't
care how long. Citanul arrested his eyes away from the ring back to the matters at hand.
The room was heavily lit, maps of countries, citys, and even a few continents were spread all over the tables that stood
evenly spaced around the room, rolled up peices of parchment with wax seals were scattered all over the place in neat
little piles. A war room. In quiet tones two men conversed over a table covered with a large map, and from Citanul could
see it was a continetal map of Venusia, with the borders of the kingdoms drawn in with coloured inks. From across the room
where Citanul stood he could also see the little models that generals used to symbolize troops and their movements.
Landrin approached one of the men and whispered in his ear. The man nodded, turned his companion spoke a few more quick
words and headed towards Citanul. Citanul recognised him immediately when he turned to face him. It was High Lord
Taeribane Jorningard himself.
"Pleasure to see you again, Mister Citanul," The High Lord politely said as he extendedhis hand to Citanul.
Citanul stood at the same height as the High LOrd and they looked eye to eye. The High Lord's ice
blue eyes didn't even twitch under Citanul's soul piercing gaze. Citanul clasped hands with the monarch out of new found
respect for the man, though he already began to contemplate all manners of ways to kill the brown haired warrior. Unlike
most nobility that Citanul had stood toe to toe with, Taeribane was clearly a man of action and had undoubtly killed. His
long brown hair was tied back in a warriors knot, a suit of chainmail peaked out from under his finery, and his longsword
hung loose in its scabbard at his waist.
"Indeed it is," Citanul answered in his cold monotoned voice as he released the High Lord's hand.
The High Lord smiled, placed a hand on Citanul's shoulder and guided him a nearby table. Citanul had to resist the urge to
snap the monarch's arm. Citanul eyed the map on the table, it was a highly detailed map of Velmara, a rival country on the
mainland in Venusia.
"One of two of my strongest political enemies," Taeribane explained with a wave of his hand to indicate the map as a
whole.
"And soon to be one of my strongest allies," Taeribane added with an amused smile, as he pulled a sealed scroll from his
jacket pocket and handed it to Citanul.
Nodding with his head the High Lord indicated the scroll in Citanul's hand, "That is an official Order of Queens, with an
authentic seal."
Citanul examined the wax seal of the invaulable scrool, and confirmed that it bore the symbol of the
Council of Fifteen Queens, Fifteen dots circled around an elaborately stylized V. Such scrolls could only be issued by the
Fifteen Queens of Venumeria themselves, Citanul briefly wondered how the High Lord had managed to secure such a thing, but
soon decided that he didn't care. He began to twist the ring on his finger, but kept his eyes on Taeribane.
"I am not going to say anything more until you agree to accept this task," Taeribane stated flatly, without saying what
that task was, not that he needed to.
"Agreed," Citanul answered without hesitation, his hands still fiddling with his ring rubbing the
skin red and raw.
Taeribane smiled knowingly, with excitement clear in his eyes though he was wise enough to keep it from his facial
expressions as he detailed his plan, "Excellent. This is your task. Simply put you are to kill the Empress of Velmara and
plant this scroll on the body of a dupe. If you complete your task properly Velmara's next Empress will immediately
declare war on Velnumeria, ending their ceasefire. The Velmunerians of course will deny the assassination, but will not
back down from a war. Once the war gets under way, I will offer my aid to both sides. Discreetly of course, I will bleed
their coffers dry and while they wear each other down. When both are amply weakened Rinnadem and Sayken will enter the
fray stronger than ever, and raze both kingdoms of backstabbing bitches to the ground."
"You may kill the Empress and anyone who gets in your way in any manner you see fit as long as the blame can be fixed on
Velnumeria. Any questions?" Taeribane surmized locking gazes with Citanul.
"No," Citanul simply answered. Taeribane smiled and believed them to be in agreement and so signalled
Landrin to escort Citanul out. Citanul clasped hands with the High Lord once more before turning to follow Landrin out. As
he followed the wood elf through the castle, Citanul unconsiosly continued to fiddle with his silver treasure, blood oozed
from the frayed skin on his finger. Upon reaching the door, Landrin pulled it open and held it for Citanul. As Citanul
past him, the fact that he was leaving must have steeled Landrin's nerves for he sneered at the assassin as he past and
spat at his heels.
In an instant, a dagger emerged from the folds of Citanul's thick cloak like a coiled viper. Before the wood elf realized
what had happened Citanul stabbed him twice in the chest, once in each lung. Gasping in fear, suprise, and pain the elf
stumbled away from the door choking on blood as his lungs began to fill with the dense liquid. Feebily Landrin drew his
blades. Wheezing and struggling to stay standing as he slowly suffacated, facing Citanul head on. Citanul watched him
impassively as the elf quiveredon shakey legs, that gradually caved from beneath him. Landrin's shortswords beat the rest
of him to the floor by a fraction of a second. Blood slowly pooled around the body, nothing in the castle stirred or made
a whisper of sound, as Citanul stood calmly over the elf's corpse.
Then suddenly the butler that had attended them when he and Landrin had first arrived appeared, cool and collected, from
the same side passage. Casually he extended his hand out to the Citanul. Looking to the man's hand, Citanul saw and
collected the small bundle into the folds of his cloak. With a shared look of acknowledgement, the assassin and the man
who was actually not a butler, went their seperate ways. One out into the streets, and the other to the body of his dead
brother.
The tenday since his visit with High Lord Taeribane went by faster than he had expected. It had only taken him a day to
find transport from Rinnadem to Velmara, and to gather the few supplies he would need for the task at hand. The next three
days after that had been a swift trip aboard the schooner "Sea Devil", and once they made land it only took him two days
to get from Winghaunt to The Vault of Symphonies. Velmara's Capitol, the seat of the Empress herself. The days after his
arrival in the capitol, Citanul had spent finishing the last key peices of his plan to murder the Empress. He smiled
wickedly to himself at the thought as he waded through the streets to find the slave vendor with whom he had made said
final arrangements...
Empress Felynwa Xui stood high and straight on a grand podium in the Chamber of Voices deep inside Citadel Vel. Her
prescence on the heavily decorated silver podium, silenced the mounting arguement in chamber that held the Empress' Court.
Currently her Court was formed of nineteen noble matriarchs rather than the standard twenty, and thus was the source of
the arguement. The former twenieth matriarch and her holdings had been eliminated by a rival Family. Normally that Family
would be awarded the position, but that Family at its moment of triumph was destroyed from within by male family members
that had seceeded to the country of Sayken. With so many other Families eligible for the position, the Empress and Court
were obligated to elect the next Matriarch. The Court was divided on electing one of two Families, House Ryil or House
Konma, and Empress Felynwa had enough of the bitter arguement. The entire Court watched her in absolute silence waiting
eagerly for her to speak.
"Since I see both Houses as beneficial to this Court, and that my Court is also divided on the decision, we shall cast a
vote," She declared calmly in a cold emotionless voice as she swept her shining golden eyes across those assembled. The
Empress held the silence for a few moments before raising her left hand, "Those in favor of House Ryil?". The assembly
stirred slightly as hands were raised, and a tally taken. Another brief pause, "Those in favor of House Konma?". Again a
gentle stir as votes were cast, the end tally in favor of House Konma. "With this final matter settled, I believe..."
"Excuse me, your Grace," Matriarch Donnala Ezzairmar interrupted as she gently rose from her seat, drawing startled gazes
from half of the assembly and a cool look from the Empress.
"Speak favored Donnala," The Empress commanded without missing a beat in a tone that suggested that Donnala should tread
lightly.
The Matriarch of House Ezzairmar bowed respectfully before speaking, "I have information that suggests that House Konma is
not fit for such a position." A couple grumbled comments and muttered curses, and a few dangerous looks grazed her but
Donnala was hardly fazed. The Empress tilted her head back slightly in mild interest and waved a hand for her to continue.
Donnala carefully extracted a scroll from her form fitting robes that beautiful accented her body and posture, and laid it
onto the table turning it so the wax seal faced the Empress. The Seal was a stylized V with a circle of fifteen dots
surrounding it. The symbol of the Council of Fifteen Queens, of Venumeria. "This was found in the possession of the
Matriarch of House Konma!" Matriarch Ezzairmar declared with a flourish as the chamber doors opened and two imperial
soldiers dragged in a beaten and naked Kiywa Konma, the Matriarch of that House. Excited and shocked whispers rasped
loudly throughout the room as the two heavily trained and armored female guards dragged the semi-concious Matriarch to
kneel at the base of the Empress' podium. The Empress smiled widely and shared a knowing look with Donnala for they had
planned this entire event before hand, while leaving all the others in shock and fear. It didn't take long for the room to
hush under the Empress' wicked smile, for it wasn't hard for them to understand that she and Donnala had planned this.
As one the assembly turned to regard the Empress, who stood six foot one, with long and lushous scarlet hair that reached
her ankles. Her cold shimmering gold-hued eyes combing the room as her soft and tender lips curled away from a mouth full
of straight white teeth, her small nose making the smile look both deadly and sweet. She in truth wore very little, but
what she did wear provided just as much if not more protection than a full suit of platemail. Silver chains and bands
wrapped senuously around her lithe and athletic body, that mostly connected to a beautiful silver choker inlaid with a
large ruby around her throat, and then down to a few small silver plates to provide a tiny bit of modesty. The outfit of
magical silver was an heirloom of the Empress' for countless generations, providing ample protecion and displaying their
rare beauty and power in an eye catching display. Once all eyes were on her Empress Felynwa purred senuously as she spoke
not only to kneeling and defeated Matriarch, but to the assembly as well. "Matriarch Konma, you have committed treason of
the vilest fashion," She told her coldly, Kiywa shuddered in fear with her eyes firmly on the floor,"The punishment is
obviously death, but that death shall be swift if you name your accomplice." A collective gasp of terror emerged from the
assembly aside from Matriarch Ezzairmar, who smiled proudly and calmly to herself. Kiywa didn't even hesitate more than a
second before pointing an accusory finger at several other Matriarchs on the Court, all of which immediately panicked.
Leaping from their seats, hands and mouths already into patterns of spellcasting, but a simple gesture from the Empress
destroyed their spells. As their panic turned to terror they drew their weapons, but only to face a room quickly filling
with Imperial soldiers, with not a male amongst them. "You need not lay down your arms for none of you traitors shall
leave this chamber," The Empress cackled as she began a spell of her own, the Imperial Soldiers blocked all of the exits
preventing escape, the whole while those unaccused remained seated, deeply confused and filled with terror. The traitors
lacking of courage attempt to flee for the doors, but they were quickly cut down by bands of soldiers. Those who retained
their courage charged the Empress' podium, but they were too slow. "Those who are loyal to me, fear not for the
benevolence of your Empress shall guard you!" Empress Xui cried wild eyed with blood lust as she finished her spell. As
one the traitors faltered in their charge, dropping their weapons and grabbing their robes. The fabric of their robes
began to constrict and burn them as if the material was made of sulferic acid. Their screams filled the air as they
collapsed to the floor trying desperately to remove the thick ceremonial robes, but the fabric would not yeild to their
clawing hands. Soon they screaming ceased as suddenly as it started as the constricting outfits began to crush their lungs
while the acid melted them away. The whole event was over in less than twenty minutes. As the last traitous Matriarch
succumbed the Imperial guards left the hall as quicklyas they had arrived, leaving a little more than half the Court
remaining stunned and silent, with Kiywa Konma softly crying and begging for mercy on the floor at the Empress' feet.
"Excellent work, Matriarch Ezzairmar. Your plan has come to marvelous fruition," The Empress purred sweetly as she
gestured in respect to her faithful servant, ignoring the whimpering Kiywa and the confused and terrified looks of her
Court.
"You are generous my Empress," Donnala cooed as she bowed deeply, a smug look firmly affixed to her face.
The Empress smiled and tilted her head respectfully back to the head of House Ezzairmar, before her expression hardened
and turned cold, "Let this be warning to all who are present here and those who are not, your Empress does not suffer
fools lightly."
"Yes Empress," came the automatic reply from all of the remaing Court members.
"Excellent this Court is adjorned," Felynwa declared, but as she moved to descend her podium to leave the chamber, Kiywa
whimpered again. The Empress halted her regal march to turn a disgusted and furious sneer at the snivelling, naked and
prostrate woman. "I forgot that you were there worm. You deserve a death in kind to theirs," she gestured at the vile
husks that remained of Kiywa's co-conspirators, "But my word is law, and my word is truth.". The Empress approached the
begging woman and drew a small silver dagger from somewhere on her revealing outfit and laid it gently against the woman's
throat. Kiywa began to openly sob as the blade pricked her skin earning her a sickened look from Felynwa. Without a
moments warning the blade suddenly opened her throat from ear to ear, making her sputter and choke on her own blood. It
was over in a few heartbeats. Completely disgusted at Kiywa's behavior, Felynwa quickly cleaned and sheathed the blade.
Muttering to herself about allowing such a weakling to ascend to such an important position in her heirarchy. "Be gone!"
She commanded those her Court that had not yet left, causing them to hastily scurry for the exits. "And someone clean this
mess up!" She roared to no one in particular as she stormed out of the chamber through the halls towards her private
chambers. As she walked she steadied her breathing and calmed herself down, as she gently massaged her temples. She
decided to turn her thoughts to what awaited her in her chambers, and the pleasures that waited. Since Donnala was
Felynwa's closest confidant, she new all of the Empress' desires and had delivered such a desire before the Court meeting.
As she approached her room, she dismissed the guards with a dark look and a wave of her hand before entering her majestic
bedchamber. Upon entering the room what remained of Felynwa's frustrations and anger immediately evapourated as she
admired her latest treasures. For on the bed lay three naked bodies, two female and one male, all three incredibly
attractive and all three heavily bound. All three stopped their thrashing against their bonds turning fearful gazes to the
woman that had entered the room, for they all surely knew who she was, same as she knew of them.
They were the three eldest children of House Konma, captured earlier that evening by her and Donnala's servants for her
sexual pleasure. All three had seen at least twenty winters, and Felynwa found all three surpirsingly attractive for a
change. For this was her private tradition, for whenever she defeated an opponent she made sure to capture two daughters
and one son of her foes (if possible), and took great pleasure in taking full satisfaction from such a devilish prize.
With a sinister smile, Felynwa sealed her chamber doors and began to remove her marvelous chain-link outfit as she turned
back to the bed. Her eyes closed as ran her smooth hands across her curvy body, without in a slight concern for her
safety. For in her chambers, she feared no harm for those in the room were defenseless and no one in the world could
possibly gain entrance to her heavily warded bedchamber without her expressed permission. As she strode across the last
few feet of the chamber to the massive bed, Felynwa opened her eyes and stopped cold in her tracks. The two women remained
where they were staring fearfully at Felynwa, but their male counterpart was simply gone! The Empress immediately whirled
around, but saw no one behind her just her magical silver outfit sprawled on the floor. Cautiously she turned about the
room, the words of a spell spilling fast from her lips. As her turn brought a full three-sixty back to the bed and her
spell neared its end, she realized her error. Felynwa suddenly threw herself back away from the four-posted bed as the
male descend to the floor, burying a long dagger into the floorboards. He cursed softly as he jerked the dagger free in a
single powerful pulled, despite it being buried to the hilt in the wooden floor. Felynwa stared in wide-eyed shock as the
now dressed and armed male leaped towards her from his crouched position, hasty incantations spilling from her plump-lips.
To be completed just in time. The dagger descended just as she flung her left-hand towards her assailent, a powerful wave
of invisible force lifted and tossed the man across the room like a ragdoll fired from a catapult. He crashed loudly
against her armoire and bedside table across the room, splintering wood and knocking antiques from their perches atop the
furniture to smash against the floor. The Empress laughed in triumph at the racket for surely her guards had heard the
noise and would come running, for she knew that she was unable to cast anything more for she had used most of her spells
earlier that day against House Konma and its conspirators.
Her thrill of victory was quick to fade as the man slowly pulled himself from the wreckage of the furniture, and still no
sound of renforcements coming for her aid. How is this possible?! she wondered in slowly mounting terror as the man rose
unharmed from the wreckage. His bones should be broken beyond use! she mentally cried in denial as she backed away from
her steadily approaching assailent. Once he was in arms reach she lashed out in a quick and powerful jab, hopeing to slow
him down for at least a moment, but he simply deflected the hit with his free hand. Before that hand thrust back in to
grab her throat and hoist her into the air. She stared down into eyes filled with fire and an incomprehensible rage on a
face that in no way resembled the man that had lain tied and gagged on her bed mere minutes ago! As the dagger found its
way into her stomach, a wound that would kill slowly. The whole while he held her shaking more so in rage than actually
fatigue from holding her high. As her vision faded, Felynwa took silent satisfaction in the fact that her attack had hurt
him after all.
Citanul tossed the Empress' limp body away from himself, barely controlling the mounting rage that
boiled inside him, for her attack had indeed harmed him just not in any manner that she had intended. Taking slow breaths
and taking a moment to focus his mind, Citanul turned to the Empress' discarded silver-chain outfit and carefully removed
the choker from the rest of the ensemble. Pocketing the trinket and heading for the door, when a soft barely audible sound
reached his ear. He turned back around to the bed and nearly laughed aloud. The two female prisoners stared wildly back
and forth between each other and him, their eyes revealing their unspoken fears. With an evil smile he slit their throats
and then pulled a fourth body out from under the bed. The true body of the prisoner's brother. Citanul casually planted
his dagger into the chest of the still living man, killing him instantly. The body of the brother however was still full
dressed, and as such Citanul slipped two items into the deadman's pockets, one item the scroll from the High Lord and the
other a small polished stone. The stone a magical focus for a teleportation spell. As Citanul moved away from the
brother's body to those of his sisters', he drew out two more matching stones and placed one into the mouths of each
sister. Taking care to gently nestle it at the back of their mouths viced between their tongues and back teeth. And viola!
A clear scene for all to behold. The sisters' obviously duped to carry the matching focus' for a teleportation spell so
that even if one of them failed to reach the Empress' bedchamber, their brother could still bypass the wards in order to
slay the Empress, but he was struck down in his attempt for the Empress though mortally wounded had taken the dagger and
took revenge upon her assailents before succumbing to her wounds. Citanul the whole while he set up the staged attack,
mentally chastised himself for almost leaving before he had finished his mission. Once he was finished his task properly
this time, Citanul exited Citadel Vel the same way he had entered...through the front door.
He was three blocks away before the alarms went off inside the Empress' Citadel, and he couldn't help but laugh wildly to
himself as he navigated the streets of the city known as the Vault of Symphonies. His laughter earning him conercerned
glances from bypassers and muttered comments about his sanity but he didn't care. After a while he reached the tavern he
had rented a room in and went inside to said room. Once he sealed the oak portal to his small rented room behind him,
Citanul strode across the room to the small desk that lay up against the far wall under the small window. On the desk as
he expected was a small sealed scroll, delivered by a carrier pigeon judging from the two splotches of bird refuce on the
sill. Thoughtfully Citanul handled the scroll admiring the wax seal, with the intials RA formed into the wax. He didn't
even need to open it to know that the letter itself would be signed with the same two letters, RA. Citanul opened it and
read it quickly before tearing it into tiny peices. He set out that evening to meet his longest and truest employer for
the first time in the ten years that he had been in RA's employ.
A string of heavy knocks pounding against Annalyth's bedchamber door stirred her from her deep
slumber. Groggily she rose from her lush silken covers and soft feather pillows to snap at her disturber, but the voice
that called over the forciful knocks quickly changed her mind.
"Annalyth! You have been summoned to the Matriarch's Chamber! Immediately!" Annalyth's oldest sister Gabreitha thundered
as she ceased trying to knock the door from its hinges.
At Gabreitha's proclaimtion, Annalyth threw back her covers and practically leapped from her bed. The
chill morning air causing her to shiver and raising gooseflesh on her exposed skin, as she rushed around her chambers
dressing. The whole while she could her Gabreitha grumbling under her breath just outside her door. "I'll be out in a
moment!" She called with as much respect in her voice as she could manage, for sleep still fogged corners of her mind and
the last thing she wanted to do was start a war with her ruthless sister. An irritated huff answered her from the hallway.
Quickly strapping on her dual wakizashis, she unlocked the door and strode boldly into the hallway with her head held high
to face her sister. Gabreitha was not much taller and thinner than Annalyth, but Annalyth knew that Gabreitha could easily
hoist her into the air and toss her across the room if she wanted to. They shared hair and eye colours, and a number of
their mother's features, but personality wise they were dramatically different. Gabreitha was violent, ruthless, and
always on the edge of angry meltdown. Where as Annalyth was friendly, peaceful and kind, but that was only on the inside.
On the outside she acted cold, calculating and wicked, for anything else would not be accepted without severe punishment.
After sharing an intense glare, the two eldest sisters of the Ezzairmar Family imperiously stalked their way through the
Ezzairmar Mansion in absolute silence. The whole while Annalyth wondered what it would be like if her relationships with
her sisters weren't so cold and uncaring, but rather warm and inviting. She knew these thoughts where futile for Venusian
Society would destroy them quickly and without mercy for such weak sentiments.
It didn't take them long to reach their mother's lavish throne room, decorated with statues depicting previous matriarchs
of the Family, luxurious tapestries and antiques of incredible value, and all of which highly accented with the silver
Venusia was reknowned worldwide for. On a raised podium at the rooms center, seated on her high backed throne sat
Annalyth's and Gabreitha's mother, Matriarch Donnala Ezzairmar, a woman of incredible physical prescence. Her long crimson
hair flowed elegantly down her shoulders, her golden eyes peircing from the black shadow around them, her jaw thought
sharp and pronouced was still atractively alluring, her armor form fitting and seductively cut, her whole ensemble
bedecked with shimmering silver. The one trait that really helped their mother's naturally overpowering prescence,
Annalyth thought as her mother rose from her throne with the grace of a hunting cat, was her mother's height. For the
Matriarch of Ezzairmar stood barely a few inches short of seven feet without the supple leather boots she wore. Annalyth
and her sister automatically bowed as their mother rose, and Annalyth did her best not to avert her gaze when her mother
fixed her iron cold smile on her.
"Annalyth, my sweet child, where have you been these past few months? For you have not set foot my chambers in all that
time," Matriarch Donnala purred in a voice so devoid of loving emotions that it made Annalyth's skin crawl. With a gesture
from their mother, the two eldest daughters rose from their kneeling positions on the floor.
Annalyth chose her words carefully before answering, "You are correct Matriarch, I have long
neglected to visit your chambers. Forgive me for I have been expanding my knowledge of swordsplay and magic these past few
months, and time has slipped through my fingers as I focused intensely on my studies."
Matriarch Donnala waved the answer away almost immediately as if it hardly mattered, a reaction fair from the explosive
response Annalyth had been expecting, and from the disappointed frown Gabreitha was now wearing so was she. The Matriarch
of Ezzairmar eyed them carefully in silence for what seemed an eternity before she spoke again. "Have you heard the
heartbreaking news my daughters?" Donnala asked in a gentle tone. The two sisters, long time rivals, for the first time
shared a look of mutual confusion at their mother's words. The Matriarch didn't even wait for a reply, as she coldly
declared, "Empress Felynwa Xui has been murdered in her chambers by servants of Council of Fifteen Queens!" Annalyth
gasped in disblief while her sister loudly cursed the Venumerians, as their mother told them in full detail what had
happened to the Empress. Matriarch Ezzairmar silenced with an even look, "And as such her eldest daughter, Sariana has
taken the throne. Hail Empress Sariana Xui!" On cue her daughters and the all female guards in the room responded as one,
"Hail Velmara!". "Dearest daughters a dangerous time approaches our family, for the new Empress must soon select her
favoured families. Though we held high standing with the late Empress, as custom demands we must prove ourselves to our
new Empress as if none of that ever existed! As such Gabreitha, you shall begin gathering information on ALL of the other
families. Find me which ones prove an open threat, go now and send your younger sisters to me before you depart for you
task!"
Gabreitha bowed with a wicked smile on her face before turning and marching out of the chamber, a
hurricane with hopes of violence to come. Annalyth quietly waited for her mother to address her, but her mother ignored
her the whole time it took for her three younger sisters, Mayliss, Kalyn, and Serthe to arrive. Even after their arrival,
Matriarch Donnala ignored her prescence as she gave her orders to Annalyth's younger siblings. Annalyth immediately began
to worry and fear over what her mother had planned for her. Once the other three bowed and departed the chamber, the
gentle call of her mother's voice pulled her from her dark and terrifying thoughts.
"Annalyth. My most favoured child. Your task is the most important and the most dangerous of all," Donnala addressed her
with an impassive look on her beautiful face, "You my dear shall discover who murdered the Empress and kill him."
The words knocked Annalyth back on her heels, and she blinked mulitple times to confirm that she was
not dreaming. "What?!?" she asked stupidly as her mind reeled over the implecations.
"The killer was not caught and from what little is known of how the murder occured, the Empress has offered a substancial
reward to whichever Family discovers how the killer managed to enter the Empress' personnal chambers and to the Family
that returns the Killer's head to the Empress," Donnala explained coolly with an unreadable expression dominating her
face.
"Wait, you said "Kill him" before. How do you know it was a lowly male?" Annalyth inquired as she
absorbed this new information.
Donnala smiled, "Indeed it was a male, for I sent him there along with two females...."
Annalyth at first was confused, but then she gasped in shock at the realization, "The prisoners we
sent as a gift to the Empress. Which means if any body found that out we would be blamed for her death and then..." The
end result needn't be spoken aloud for Donnala smiled grimly as she nodded in agreement with Annalyth. "But if we find the
assassin and prove our allegience to the new Empress, we shall be exonerated," She reasoned again earning a grim nod of
agreement from her mother. Annalyth softly chewed on her lip as she mulled the concept through her troubled thoughts,
before asking, "How shall I proceed with my investigation?"
Donnala reelled back in mock surprise, gently clutching her hands to her chest, "Why with the ruthless determination, with
the fate of your House as your deepest concern." She smiled wickedly and flourished her right hand towards the door, "You
may begin your task posthaste my favoured child, Now go for the glory of House Ezzairmar."
"Great so basically I'm on my own without any sense of directionor aid from my "family"," Annalyth
thought quietly to herself as she bowed respectfully to her matriarch and automotonomously replied, "Of course, Matriarch.
For House Ezzairmar!", before turning on her heels and hastily exiting her mother's chambers. As she marched silently to
her private quarters, her mind was screaming in tightly restrained terror as her mind whirled wildly as she tried to
figure out her mother's intentions. For clearly this task was designed to her make or break her, there would be no way to
escape this task or have it pawned off to one of her sisters. Her shoulders sagged at that realization, for that meant she
would either become fully engaged in House politics or unceremoniously executed. Which ultimately meant either way she
would never be able to leave to make her own way in the world. Reaching her quarters she took a deep breath and exhaled
all of the doubts, fears, and misgivings she had in that breath, and began to gather things she felt she would need as she
dressed in her leather armour. Annalyth the whole while she collected her things thought about where in Velmara she would
begin her investigation. Soon she filled a small travelling pack and had decided to head for Slave District, to figure out
how the slaves given as gifts to the Empress by her mother had some how slipped through without being properly searched.
With in half an hour she was out walking the streets of the Vault of Symphonies, hesitently ready to start her horribly
uninformed investigation of the Empress' murderer.
