(Synn)<br/><br/>The Goddess sat beside Zion as he rested and laid her hand on his chest, right over his heart. She smiled softly as she kissed his forehead. Her love and light and coursed through his skin, illuminating him as he laid there. "<b>My love</b>" she whispered, "<b>You know what must be done and you have the tools to accomplish my task</b>," she said as she pressed into his chest, driving a warm sensation through his very heart. "<b>Bring Azurine to your side, she is your key to beating Maddox,</b>" she said as she reached down into his chest and pulsed power throughout his being. "<b>She has a power even she does not know she is capable of, but you could show her the way. She could help you hone your strength and wield this power I have bestowed upon you if you just ask my love</b>" she said as she brushed his hair from his eyes, "<b>She is ready.</b>" The goddess vanished.<br/>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Azurine grabbed her cloak from the chair in Zion's living room and placed it around her shoulders. She walked out of the home and passed the barrier of protection. In an instant, she felt the pressure in her head as Maddox bore down. She held the right side of her head as she bowed. It was painful, to say the least.<br/><br/>"<b>You better have a good reason for avoiding me girl!</b>" he snapped as he dug into her mind.<br/><br/>"<b>I do my Master. I am coming home</b>" she whispered as she began to walk towards the castle.<br/><br/>She would enter the lower levels of the castle, down towards the dungeons where Oscar could usually be found. She walked down several corridors until she reached his office. She peeked her head around the corner and saw him sitting at his desk, writing execution orders by candlelight. She knocked on the open wooden door to announce her presence before she entered. Oscar would look up from his work and smile.<br/><br/>"<b>To what do I owe this honor my lady?</b>" he asked as he placed his quill down on the desk and folded his hands in front of him. "<b>Your hair, its....white</b>"<br/><br/>"<b>I want to speak with you about Anthony,</b>" she said as she sat down in the chair adjacent to the desk, crossing her legs. "<b>And yes my hair has turned white, no need to fret over it</b>" she stated, pushing the thought to the side.<br/><br/>"<b>What about him?</b>" he asked, curious as to her fascination with him.<br/><br/>"<b>I believe we need a Master of Coin do we not? Has he not proven his worth to us with the trade he has brought to the kingdom?</b>" she asked as she brushed her leather pants with her fingertips.<br/><br/>"<b>Do you think he can be trusted Azurine?</b>" he asked as he leaned forward.<br/><br/>"<b>I have reached into his mind, I have visited his estate, I have spent time with him. I do not sense any ulterior motives that would harm the Queen or this realm. I believe he would be a good match</b>" she suggested.<br/><br/>"<b>Well, then I will advise the Queen this afternoon. Will you bring him to court tomorrow my lady?</b>" he asked as he sat back in his chair once more.<br/><br/>"<b>I will certainly give him the invitation Oscar, thank you</b>" she replied as she stood up to leave. "<b>Where is Maddox?</b>" she asked as she pulled the hood back over her head.<br/><br/>"<b>He was conversing with the Queen in the gardens the last I saw him</b>," he said as he picked up the quill and returned to his paperwork.<br/><br/>With that Azurine left the room and headed towards the gardens to face Maddox.<br/>----------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Azurine walked into the gardens and spotted the Queen and Maddox. Maddox had her face in his hands and his lips upon hers. Azurine swallowed hard as she approached. Maddox already has her in his clutches sooner than Azurine had expected. This would not bode well for her plan. She stayed a respectable distance until he had finished kissing the Queen.<br/><br/>"<b>Where have you been Azurine? You have been missed</b>" Maddox snapped as he turned to face her. He regarded her new appearance as Azurine removed the hood from her head to show her white hair. He tilted his head to the side as she approached.<br/><br/>"<b>My Queen</b>," she said as she bowed to her, "<b>My Master</b>," she said as she bowed to him. "<b>I have not been gone long. I assure you I was taking care of an important task</b>" she said, without giving too much detail of the ordeal she had endured at the church or the time she spent with Anthony.<br/><br/>"<b>I will leave you two to speak. I must see Oscar</b>" she said as she curtsied and excused herself. As she wandered back to the castle, Maddox approached Azurine. He gripped onto her hair and yanked her towards him, pressing her up against his chest.<br/><br/>"<b>What is this shit!</b>" he snapped as he pulled a handful of hair around to her face.<br/><br/>"<b>Y-you wanted me to get close to h-him. You wanted m-me to bed him. I had to m-make sure he t-trusted me</b>" she stuttered, scared of what Maddox might do for allowing purity into her being.<br/><br/>Maddox placed his index finger on her left temple and closed his eyes. He burrowed into her being searching for purity. Azurine felt the burn of his probing and cried out as he dug deep. He found her memories of the church and her memories of Anthony, yet she had already altered them so he would see what she wanted him to see. She had just hoped that the illusion would hold. Blood started to drip from her nose as he probed. "<b>Master please, it hurts!</b>" she cried out as she gripped onto his arms, trying to balance herself from collapsing. To Maddox's amazement, he did not find what he was looking for and let her go.<br/><br/>"<b>Don't you ever block me again, do you understand?</b>" he growled as he gripped her left wrist in his hand.<br/><br/>"<b>Yes Master</b>," she said as she winced in pain. He uttered an incantation that placed his link to her back. She could feel the link restore and it gave her a pit in her stomach to the point of nausea. It was stronger this time and would be harder to remove when the time came, but for now, she would have to work around it or he would get suspicious.<br/><br/>"<b>You sever this link again and I will have your head on the bedpost!</b>" he yelled. Then he composed himself and ran his fingers through his long black hair, "<b>Go rest, you will need your strength</b>" he demanded as he turned and walked away from her.