It was chaos, even before the demon had made its presence known. Though in truth, most were still blissfully unaware. A few cries of alarm and dismay went up, more from confusion than enlightenment.<em> Who is the beggar running atop the backs of others?</em>, was likely the most common thread of thought weaving its way through the witnesses' minds.<br/><br/>...   ...   ...   ...<br/><br/>The man with fetid breath and missing teeth pressed in on her.  Nadira looked and a bandaged finger fell from his hand and to the ground!<strong>A leper! </strong><br/><br/>The princess knew not the word for the gods forsaken man's mallady. She only knew what her senses told her. Death! Nadira gagged on the stench of decay.<br/><br/>It was a clever ploy, exposing the naive Rajkumari to the horrors of this squalor. Such a shock would all but ensure that she was grateful to her new husband for his shelter. No matter if he were beneficent or cruel, Nadira was certain to revere the Maharaja, for after this, there could be no doubt, she needed his protection. Life outside the palace it was...<em>unfathomable</em>.<br/><br/>Nadina cried out, a startled yelp, as something scraped her back and left a deep bleeding scratch in its wake. Then she was no longer standing. She felt light, like a feather caught on the breeze. Had she fainted?<br/><br/>No!<br/><br/>It was than that the Rajkumari realized that she'd been hoisted above the crowd. She could not see who'd fished her from the sea of living flesh, but surely it would be none other than the captain of the guard come to save her from the horrible rotting man.<br/><br/>"Atrain?"  The princess desperately cried, the previously unshed tears of dismay cascading down her cheeks in a rain of premature relief.<br/><br/><br/>OOC:  If Sirrah is not moving too fast to be made out, a few guards will foolishly try to fire arrows at him until the order is given to "Cease fire!" After all, we can't have some oaf shooting the princess   :P<br/>