Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: elfguy on 29-07-2013, 00:16:19</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>elfguy</strong> on <strong>29-07-2013, 00:16:19</strong>
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				(http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/134/8/f/8fa189ada7b977830d2dea48e19af27f-d4zpa5a.jpg)<br><br>Pamine (https://sphotos-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/61601_557699364293789_822607342_n.jpg) leaned forward on the heavy stone rampart, watching the town in front of her. She could see the busy streets below with people going on with their daily lives, trading, working and being fairly secure. In fact the town had grown so much that the forest, beyond the outer walls, was barely visible. If she turned her head to the side, she could see the vast sea which made Freeport into such a strategic location for trading and transportation. Various ships were coming and going from the harbor, and the day was barely starting, with the sun still rising in the horizon.<br><br>The young Scout Captain liked to stand here. It gave her a good view of her surroundings, and what she worked to preserve. Unlike the guards and militia, many of which were also manning the ramparts and the streets below, Pamine did not involve herself into day to day security. Instead, she led a group of scouts that reported to her from all around the realm. She was, in a way, the first line of defense for any invasion or other large scale issue that the Queen would have to deal with. Fortunately, things had been calm these past few months, but Pamine knew that the kingdom was surrounded on three sides by enemies. Some were barbarians, interested in their resources, others were other kingdoms, looking at expansion. She had to remain vigilant.<br><br>Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard a voice. A guard had approached her from the side, apparently in a hurry. "Scout Captain! We need you at the gate!" Pamine nodded at the guard and walked back to the nearest tower, then down to the ground level. She jogged over towards the castle courtyard's main gate, her cloak flying in the wind. She had her usual uniform on, a green outfit that was both practical and sensual. When she arrived at the gate, she frowned, seeing a crowd looking over as some guards were trying to treat a badly injured young man, someone no more than 20 years old and wearing a full leather outfit. Pamine recognized him right away as one of her scouts from the south.<br><br>As the scout saw her, he extended his hand, and Pamine grabbed it, kneeling next to him. "Virol! What happened?!" The man struggled to talk, clearly in much pain. "They... they are coming.. thousands are gathering... near the border... I.. I came as soon as I could..." Pamine couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Who? Who are coming?" The scout coughed out some blood, closing his eyes. "In...invasion..." This was his last word. After her moment of shock at seeing one of her scout die in her arms, Pamine quickly got back up and started running towards that castle. The Queen had to be warned.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>29-07-2013, 16:07:18</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><strong>Time:</strong> Evening<br><br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle, Dark Alley<br><br><strong>Tag:</strong> N/A<br><hr><br>Evelyn Mackenzie, the princess of Trissea, entered her chambers after her evening meal and walk through the garden. Though it wasn't her own chambers in Trissea, it was the place that she had learned to call home for the last few years. She sat down on a chair and began to write down her thoughts from the stroll through the garden. Her routine walk through the garden every evening after her meal was a time that she could relax and ponder. She enjoyed the peaceful quiet in the evenings and found it easier to think through the main issues of the world outside the cement walls of the castle. The tensions had been rising in the land, but no one really knew which kingdom would be the first to make a move. This particular evening, she'd had a bit of an epiphany, so she was hastily writing down her thoughts before they escaped her.<br><br>She was interrupted by her handmaid, Mary, who approached her with a sealed letter. <strong>"Miss, this letter came for you. The man who delivered it said it was an urgent matter."</strong> Evelyn took the letter and thanked Mary. She then carefully inspected the insignia stamped on the seal. It was a sign she knew well. It was that of her informant. She opened it. Inside a simple poem:<br><br><div align="center"><em>Where those unclaimed for years remain.<br>With sick, and lame, and tired.<br>Where those above to go disdain,<br>Before the evening sun retired.</em></div><br>Evenlyn read the poem. It wasn't a very good code, it wasn't even a very good poem. She chuckled. Poetry never had been his strong suit. Evelyn had grown fond of her informant over the last few years and she insisted that their messages be written in rhyme and meter. It was after all, poetry from a man she fancied. She took what she could get. She quickly deciphered where she was to meet the man tonight. She looked out the window, the sun was about to retire. She burned the letter, and grabbed her red cloak and went out into the dusk. As she left the castle's courtyard, she covered her head with the hood, mounted her horse, and rode through the massive city.<br><br>Upon arriving at the orphanage for the poor and sick, Evelyn dismounted her horse, and waited. A dark cloaked figure emerged from a shadow, <strong>"Your Highness"</strong> He said quietly, his voice rough but soothing. Evelyn smiled at the man. <strong>"You know,"</strong> She began, rather playfully, <strong>"I still don't know your name."</strong><br><br><strong>"My name is of no concern. It is probably safer that you don't know it, anyways."</strong> The man moved closer and continued, <strong>"One of the largest invasion force ever assembled on this continent stands ready outside the borders to this realm. The king demands your instructions."</strong><br><br>The princess handed her informant a little card of thick parchment sealed inside an envelope. The man took the little note and exited into the shadows. The princess went inside the orphanage and hospice and went to the lady in charge. She handed her a sack of gold coins, <strong>"From the people of free people of Trissea, a contribution to your cause."</strong> The head nurse thanked the cloaked princess, and the princess departed, heading back to the castle.<br><br>The informant before leaving the city checked the card the princess had given him. On the card, scribed in calligraphic capital letters was a single word:<br><br><em><strong>'HOLD'</strong></em>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>29-07-2013, 19:20:01</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle, royal presence<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Catherine<br><br><hr><br>Octavian didn't make it into the city with much fanfare.&nbsp; He arrived with one ship and an honor guard of a dozen men, which was almost nothing compared to what he was owed by rights.&nbsp; He stopped by a warehouse that the duchy owned.&nbsp; Octavian had sent ahead loyal people to prepare the way, to make sure that the Ynysians in Freeport were comfortable with the transfer of power.&nbsp; They were, especially if confirmed in their posts, which Octavian had done.&nbsp; At the moment, he had no reason to doubt that they were corrupt beyond the usual for people of their breed, after all.<br><br>Still, there he bathed and changed into good clothes: a longsword with an ivory hilt carved with floral patterns set with colored enamel in brilliant patterns with gold fittings, set with amber, in a sheath heavily gilt with gold in patterns of the hunt - wolves and stags, that sort of thing - banded with brass and set with more amber, with a matching anelace.&nbsp; His weapon belt was polished leather with more gold fittings, he wore a long-sleeved linen tunic that went to his knees, a very dark green in color, trimmed with gold and silver thread with generous sleeves.&nbsp; He wore gartered trousers, a red so deep as to almost be black, and polished leather boots that went up to the knee, were turned down, with pointy gold tips (he also had a worksmanlike knife in one boot, because it always paid to be careful).&nbsp; His cloak was sable with heavy gold settings, but fairly simple because sable didn't adorement, though all the thread was gold.&nbsp; His chaperone hat was very dark red linen.&nbsp; He had on glossy black leather gauntlets with a great deal of gold thread embroidery in the shapes of hawks.&nbsp; <br><br>He certainly could have afforded more ornate clothes, but in the end how could one go wrong with sable?&nbsp; It was an understated way of showing off, of reminding people - of reminding the queen regent - that he had a great deal of money, that every summer ships full of furs sailed into Maegonstat from lands only the Ynysians knew about, but also great quantities of walrus ivory and whalebone, of the far-flung nature of the Ynysian explorations, raiding and trade.<br><br>He and his men mounted the provided horses.&nbsp; A messenger had already been sent ahead so no one would be surprised.&nbsp; They rode up to the main gates.&nbsp; They passed the downed soldier with hardly a glance; he would hear soon enough if it was a matter worth his attention, otherwise, cities were always full of murder.<br><br>There was the usual fuss with formalities.&nbsp; Octavian had never been to Freeport before, though the seal of his lands was enough to prove he was who he said he was.&nbsp; Then there were the usual arguments over weapons in the presence of the queen regent and heir.&nbsp; Almost no one in the kindgom was allowed to bear arms in the royal presence, but the Ynysians were not bound to that law.&nbsp; Octavian saw it as a kind of power play by the chamberlain, who certainly knew of the privileges of the Ynysians.&nbsp; The chamberlain was arguing with Octavian's reeve.<br><br>Octavian said to his reeve, "Either bribe him as corrupt or kill him as incompetent and ignornant of the rights of the Duke of Ynysia."<br><br>It had the proper effect.&nbsp; The chamberlain couldn't accept a bribe or appear publicly corrupt and, well, every chamberlain did know the rights of the Duke of Ynysia - by taking insult at the treatment, the chamberlain had to back down.&nbsp; The Ynysians kept their arms in the castle.<br><br>From there, they were announced into Queen Catherine's presence.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>eiselmann</strong> on <strong>29-07-2013, 23:22:08</strong>
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				<strong>Name</strong> Anders Hessman Queens Champion (http://rainsilves.webs.com/DeathCloaked.jpg)<br><strong>Location</strong>Near the Queen<br><strong>Tag</strong>Any<br><br>Anders stood as he'd been taught , ready to move in any direction against any threat to the Queen, he was hooded and masked so as not to offend, and while he no longer lived in the lands of the Eastern Lords the biggest challenge he'd faced was removing the mask and cloak and walking openly amongst his own people, thousands had seen him only one knew what he looked like, the Queen. The eastern aversion to his race still engrained but not to the extend their training had been, and the training had been both brutal and serene, but brutal first.<br><br>He had seen young boys of the kingdom fight mock battles with wooden swords, sometimes the swords hurt but they almost never killed, his introduction to training had involved ten thousand boys all age seven, children of the poor or orphans, no value but their potential. He'd stood along with the other children facing a thousand armed men, both groups inside a walled city empty except for them. With no warning the armed soldiers rushed forward and became hacking away at those boys who didn't flee. The ones that ran were chased down by the quicker faster adults. Anders only knew the word for 'yes and thanks'&nbsp; useless when a young seven year old who'd lost his father to slow death not a week earlier was being chased by armed men who for some strange reason had an aversion to seven year old boys.<br><br>There was a reason for it , that Anders discovered only months later when his language ability improved after countless beatings and near starvation for disobeying commands he didn't understand. The reason...will.<br><br>Will, was a corner stone of survival without it there was no point in training. Hundreds of boys ran out the city exit on the far side, survivors in the first of many brutal lessons , thousands didn't.<br><br>And so Anders stood ready to do his Queens bidding , defend her honour and her life , knowing most feared him , some respected him and the rest were fools, but none knew him , oh there were rumours, he was a foul sorcerer corrupting the court, controlling the Queen his demonstrated martial talent could only be magic, they built his talent where he had none and ignored his talent where it was abundantly clear.<br><br>He had no magic about him but he was a master with or without a weapon for he knew the one truth ,one day there will be someone better he lived for that day, trained for it . As for the Queen he had no control of her , but he wanted it, he wanted to control all women but the Queen most especially.<br><br>Anders watched as the Duke of Ynysia arrived his eyes moving over the man and those with him, Anders showed no signs of moving but the fact they chose to be armed when they could have chosen not to spoke volumes , Anders had met such as this one before... a man of talent, power and entitlement and so much more, but Anders also knew this wasn't the one he'd trained all his life for.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>elfguy</strong> on <strong>29-07-2013, 23:49:12</strong>
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				<strong>Name:</strong> Pamine<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle entrance<br><strong>With:</strong> Anders, anyone else<br><br>Pamine ran from the courtyard gate back towards the castle. The dire news that her scout had delivered had to be shared with the Queen. She hated not knowing any more, like who the invaders were and when they were expected to move, and she was intent on sending out more scouts to find out, but for now she needed to warn the royal family first. It was her duty.<br><br>She didn't even look when she ran past what looked like a newly arrived noble. People came and went a lot in this town, that was just how large cities were. She was not part of the guard so was not privy to everything that was happening locally.<br><br>As she arrived at the gate, she went to one of the guards at the archway leading deeper into the courtyard, and to the entrance to the living quarters. She knew many of the guards, so addressed one of them, asking if he had seen the queen. The guard shook his head, and Pamine kept going. The next person she saw made her smirk however. It was the Queen's Champion. Pamine was divided on how to feel about him. He was sworn to protect and serve the Queen, just like she was, and as such she had to admire him. However there was something about him, about his figure and hidden face, that she didn't like. Still, if anyone knew where the Queen was, it would be him. She quickly came up to Anders.<br><br>"Greetings, have you seen the Queen? I have dire news."
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>MadJackal</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 00:20:25</strong>
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				(http://malaya.com.ph/dummy/images/Erin-Wasson-06192012.jpg)<br>Name : Katherine<br>Location : Throne room<br>With : Octavian, Anders, Pamine<br><br>So far, the day had been going pretty well. Like any other day of the week, Katherine was taking her bath with two of her most loyal handmaids. She had suddenly been interrupted by one of the servants who told her "-My Queen, Sir John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia, will be meeting you in ten minutes inside the throne room.". She didn't know the motive of that visit, nor had she been warned of his arrival. She had stepped off her bath, got dressed, her hair brushed by another servant, and then she went to the throne room. <br>She sat, and the door was opened for her visitors. They were a dozen, all armed and equipped. Only one of them didn't wear an armor, and she assumed it was the Duke. Still, it was an unusual sight to the Queen. So far, nobody had ever penetrated the Throne room like that without the royal guard engaging them like the enemies they were. But the Ynysian were no threat, and she knew it perfectly well. Who knows, maybe it was not a tradition of their to give their weapon before meeting with someone. The Queen wasn't worried anyway, not with a skilled swordman such as the Champion Hessman by her sides.<br>The Queen proudly stood up, and said : "-Duke of Ynysia. What is the motive of your presence ?<br>The man explained her his situation. He was here to confirm his feudal obligations to the crown. Ynysia was nos under her power and guidance, and she was gonna need it, even though she didn't know it at first. <br>As the Duke was pronouncing his vows, Pamine entered the room. She was the captain of the Scouts, and a good captain. She had never disturbed her without a reason. She interrupted the Ynysian in the middle of a sentence, saying "-If you may excuse me, Duke of Ynysia. What is it, Pamine ?" <br>The young scout informed her about a threat she hadn't even expected. One of her scouts had been attacked during a patrol in the south. He had mentionned thousands of ennemies gathering at the border. The Queen asked : "-What could it mean ? What danger lies in the south ?" <br>She had no idea, nor did the scout. She told to the captain : "-I want one of your patrol units to investigate." Then she said to the Ynysian : "-My Duke, I think your loyalty will be tested soon enough"
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 02:10:00</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Catherine, Anders, Pamine, open.<br><br><hr><br>The outlines of the oath of fealty were simple and Octavian was a good speaker in the senses that he liked to get to the point.&nbsp; The Duke of Ynysia vowed to keep the king's peace and pledged forty days annual service to the crown, which could be commuted to a money payment (and generally was and the duchy was paid up for the year) so long as the king honored and protected Ynysia.&nbsp; In reciprocation, the crown confirmed him in his station - which was given, because Octavian had been confirmed, already, by the chiefs of Ynysia and to go against that council would be considered an act of war.&nbsp; Something many believes the Ynysians itched to do, anyway.<br><br>"Ah, thrilling, dire news, my favorite," Octavian said, breezily, as Pamine entered.&nbsp; He had an easy manner about him, he seemed absolutely relaxed and completely confident.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>elfguy</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 02:36:08</strong>
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				<strong>Name:</strong> Pamine<br><strong>Location:</strong> Throne room<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Queen, Anders, Oct, Cath<br><br>Pamine (https://sphotos-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/61601_557699364293789_822607342_n.jpg) followed Anders in when he pointed out that the Queen was in the throne room, and found the place to already have several people in it. She quickly walked up, knowing that the regent would want to know her news as soon as possible. When the Queen addressed her, she bowed her head respectfully and spoke up.<br><br>"My Queen, I bring news. A scout under my command has reported a massing of troops down near our southern border. He was assigned near the small village of Canterbury, so it's likely that this would be one of the first villages to fall, should they invade. Unfortunately my scout died before he could say which army is preparing to attack, or any other detail about their movements."<br><br>Pamine listened to the Queen's reply and nodded.<br><br>"I will dispatch more scouts right away."<br><br>She headed back near the door and called one of the guards to write down a message. While waiting, she looked back at the crowd gathered, curious as to what else was going on this day.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 03:43:28</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://www.vixenrose.com/hosting/files/253/stuff%20for%20rp/het.jpg)</div><br>Name: Hetshepsit Neferet<br>Location: Throne room<br>Tagged: All<br><br>As usual she stands far off to the side of the throne room most people here seems afraid of her, or probably what she represent.. death. While her simple white dress perhaps doesn't scream death to these people white is the colour of mourning for hers. Her arms and head circled by heavy golden bands inset with semi precious stones, all made to look like serpents encircling her flesh. For those that don't know who she is, she more looks like an excentric woman in her late thirties early forties with the wrinkles a lifetime living under the blistering desert sun will give anyone. But gossip always seem to spread faster then anything else and soon a circle is cleared around her with all sorts of whispers and odd looks coming her way.<br><br>"No it is true! I heard it from my chambermaid! She really is a whore who works in the graveyard."<br><br>"really? Euuu, why do they let that kind in here. Disgusting, should lock her in the graveyard but I am afraid she would try and hump the dead."<br><br>Both laddies giggle madly to eachother as Hetshepsit just rolls her eyes and turns to take a better look at the armed noble who just entered, she doesn't recognise the heraldry of the soldiers and makes a mental note to look it up as soon as she possibly can. With everyone always being so touchy about the slightest little title being missed she can't afford to make any enemies in a court where she has precious few friends. To be honest most of her time is spent discussing theology with other priests and tending to her few faithful consisting mostly of her servants and a handful of merchants.<br><br>"hmm.. dire news?" she mumbles to herself and slowly edges closer to be able to hear what the woman has to report. hmm.. short and lacking in details and with a shocking lack of decorum. One of her hands flies up to cover her mouth and she braces herself for the Queen to yell at the scout for not adressing her properly but it seems the Queen knows this woman and allows her some leeway. Interesting, another fact to write down and send home in her next report to the Priest King, may His rein be eternal and may the ancestors watch over Him and protect Him until the world itself dies and enters the afterlife.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 15:15:16</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Evening<br><strong>Location:</strong> Walking passed the throne room.<br><strong>Tag:</strong> N/A<br><br><hr><br>The Princess of Trissea returned on horseback to the castle, she dismounted and turned over the reigns to the stable boy. Upon exiting the stable, she lowered the hood on her elegant red cloak, and walked briskly into the castle. It was late, but not too late. She didn't think anyone would have missed her absence. She could hear whispering throughout the castle walls. As she walked past the throne room, she took a look inside. It was abuzz with activity. She was certain they must have known about the invasion.&nbsp; How could they not? It was one of the largest invasion forces in the world according to her source. She had never seen it in person, but she trusted her informant. His information had always been good in the past.<br><br>The young princess looked at the players in the throne room. Especially at the Ynisian. She had never seen this man before and wondered what his business in the castle was, she'd be certain to find out another day. Perhaps she'd send a girl to seduce him and find out what secrets hide inside that head of his. She smiled, it was a rather handsome head. He was rugged but regal. Strong, but posh. He had a certain refinement to him. She watched him a few moments longer, then turned and began for her room. After all, it was probably best that she was neither seen nor heard until the time was right. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>30-07-2013, 17:02:38</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Catherine, Anders, Evelyn open.<br><br><hr><br>Octavian said to Hetshepsit, "Yes, there is an enemy force to the south.&nbsp; Looks like bad news for southerners and those in the midlands.&nbsp; It's very exciting.&nbsp; You know, in the abstract.&nbsp; It's probably less abstract for those in the army's path."<br><br>He certainly wasn't bothered by Hetshepsit's appearance or religion.&nbsp; Not too long ago, he had been in a place where they stuffed hundreds of prisoners of war into wooden frames and set them on fire to appease their gods.&nbsp; The funary prostitution angle was creepy, but it was his experience that people felt all religions that were not their own were strange and disturbing.&nbsp; He had learned to deal with such feelings long ago.&nbsp; Of all the things that troubled him, faith was never it.<br><br>He knew that the crown would have need of his forces if there was a war in the south.&nbsp; This was doubly true because Ynysian, itself, didn't have a feudal government.&nbsp; The Duke of Ynysia (once High King of Ynysia; they had been allowed to keep their manner of government, so the only thing that had really changed was the title) was confirmed by the Council of the Elder Chiefs of All the Isles, and once confirmed, he served as their military commander - though the Council of the Elder Chiefs could also vote to remove him from office, though such a vote generally ended in a civil war which, itself, generally sorted out if the duke was fit for military service.&nbsp; But until such a vote, under initial advice from the Council, Octavian could simply order the clans of Ynysia to take the field until such a time as the war was ended.&nbsp; And his galleys could move 120 miles a day in all by the worst weather - more than ten times as fast as troops on foot.<br><br>He saw Evelyn looking at him, so he looked back, direct and frankly.&nbsp; He smiled at her right as she was turning away, as if to say, <i>Bring it on</i>.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>eiselmann</strong> on <strong>31-07-2013, 06:45:35</strong>
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				<strong>Name</strong> Anders Hessman Queens Champion (http://rainsilves.webs.com/DeathCloaked.jpg)<br><strong>Location</strong>Near the Queen<br><strong>Tag</strong>Any<br><br>Invasion, Anders didn't outwardly react but his mind was working , was role wasn't to tell the Queen not to go somewhere, be that at the head of army or remain in the throne room , his role was to keep her alive be that in the heat of battle or escape from final defeat, it remained to be seen how she would deal with this invasion. Anders moved his eyes around the people in the throne room they never stopped moving but they also never fully left the source of any threat and in this case armed men in the throne room were the threat even if their intent was honourable.<br><br>&nbsp;His eyes touched on the Princess, the Priestess, and the Scout his desire for them was great but he was a novice in the mysteries of the female and in truth his assessment of them was limited to the threat they posed, the Scout was loyal but since she was the primary source of information she was also in a powerful position to influence the Queen decision regarding the safety of the realm and the Royal family would be made not so much on what was said but how it was said , he would have to be aware of this Scout.<br><br>The Princess was in many ways the one he understood least , but what understanding he had was clearest , her loyalty was not to the crown or to this land everything she did was to the betterment of her own people, she would give the clearest indication of any danger , an independent warning whether the young lady understood that about herself or not, it was her that Anders would watch carefully.<br><br>Then there was the Priestess disliked and feared , Anders could understand that, death was a topic most left alone, to be associated with that eventually was difficult to be seen to embrace it, worship it ,&nbsp; set her apart more completely. Death was to be fought against , defied until the last and only at its moment should it be embraced , Anders could not understand life any other way so while he felt a string connection to the woman , it was mostly a shared isolation from society and nothing else. Well nothing else, except he desired her.<br><br>And then their was the Duke , his reaction spoke volumes , he was looking not to test himself but move himself into position and they way he spoke of this invasion if that's what was happening made Anders wonder if he had ever seen war, ever stood in the front row of two massive armies, ever stood in the wall breech and held it. Anders had all before he turned fifteen. Abstract or not war was exciting until death touched you or at least tried to, then it was a scary stomach turning numbing test to see who was the last to run. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>01-08-2013, 13:42:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatright">(http://www.vixenrose.com/hosting/files/253/stuff%20for%20rp/het.jpg)</div><br>Name: Hetshepsit Neferet<br>Location: Throne room<br>Tagged: All<br><br>"Exciting? Interesting choice of words my Lord, have you ever seen the aftermath of a battle? The men laying maimed crying for help? The widows wailing as they find their loved ones and the one that provides for them and the children hacked into pieces? I Would say dark times are ahead, there is no glory in battle.. only misery. I fear even I will have a busy time ahead, my faith might not be the one of this country but all men will have to face their mortality in the days ahead." She doesn't look down on him for his statement at all, men always seem to think there is excitement and glory in battle. And perhaps for men there is, but being who she is she has seen the other side all to often. The deep desert is home to many a bandit tribes and she has been faced with the aftermath of their attacks more then once in her pilgrimage.<br><br>Her eyes follows the Queens Champion as he moves around, the man was a mystery. And while she can appreciate a good mystery she doesn't like it when it interfered with the work the Priest King had assigned her. How can she be a good ambassador when she knows so little about the man that is probably closest to the Queen? Oh sure she has heard the stories, but as the two gossiping ladies just proved.. stories are rarely true. She does however make a mental note to see if she can dig around a little bit more about him, perhaps even see if he ever is off duty and try and schedule a meeting? Yes that could perhaps work.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>elfguy</strong> on <strong>01-08-2013, 22:14:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Name:</strong> Scout Captain Pamine<br><strong>Location:</strong> Throne room<br><strong>With:</strong> All<br><br>Pamine took a few minutes to write down a message and handed it over to the guard. She made sure to give clear order for all her scouts in the south to converge on the border and locate this invasion force. The Queen would need to know everything she could about this invasion, and it was her job to provide this information. She told the guard to get a horse and hurry to deliver the message. After he bowed down and left, she turned back towards those in the room.<br><br>She smirked when she heard the conversation with the princess of death. She didn't like the type of religious work she did, or her apparent conclusion. She preferred to deal with actual facts. She still couldn't tell for sure whether she liked the others or not, but had other worries for now. The Queen would need to make decisions as to what to do, and she needed to be ready to carry out her orders.<br><br>She walked back to the Queen and bowed her head. "I sent a message to the scouts. We will hopefully have better information soon."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>02-08-2013, 03:45:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Katherine, Anders, Evelyn, Hetshepsit, Pamine, open.<br><br><hr><br>"I am an interesting man," he said to Hetshepsit with a bright smile and a slight bow. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And all battles are interesting, even when they are terrible, as all lives are funny, even when they are tragic."&nbsp; He looked at her, his eyes sharp.&nbsp; "There is glory <i>only</i> in battle, in victory and in dying well, at least for us mortals.<br><br>"Foreigners are so charming in their ignorance.&nbsp; <i>Of course</i>, I have seen battle.&nbsp; Am I not the Duke of Ynysian?"&nbsp; He said it with humor.&nbsp; No Ynysian could be declared a leader without success in battle.&nbsp; "Most of my wars, I fear, in places you haven't heard about.&nbsp; I destroyed the Ce Mar and laid waste to the towns and cities of Fortriu, whose capital had a hundred and fifty thousand souls.&nbsp; My men, less than a thousand, slaughtered eight thousand by the River of Blood in an hour and I took the King of Fortriu prisoner with my own hands after slaying nine in his guard.&nbsp; He's in an apartment in Maegonstat, now, under armed guard, with six of his wives, which is better than he planned for me.&nbsp; Then I ravaged the coast for a thousand miles, not even counting rivers, I burned every town and city I saw and killed their men, made their women and children slaves, took their wealth for my own.&nbsp; I did this for three years, until I ran out of civilized lands.&nbsp; The lesson, there, is to never start a war that you can't finish and the people paid the price for the King of Fortriu's arrogance.<br><br>"Keep your moral judgments to yourself, though, or at least give the more substance or speak about them in a more entertaining way.&nbsp; All kingdoms are bought with battle, all peace paid for in blood.&nbsp; There are no kings without wars, and without kings we would be reduced to mere anarchy - which is worse than even battle.&nbsp; War is the price of civilization."<br><br>He paid more attention to the scout than he seemed.&nbsp; Nothing would be learned today, though with such intelligence Octavian would be reviewing the forces at his disposal, their disposition and location.&nbsp; But people could only do one thing at a time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Sara Nilsson</strong> on <strong>02-08-2013, 03:55:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatright">(http://www.vixenrose.com/hosting/files/253/stuff%20for%20rp/het.jpg)</div><br>Name: Hetshepsit Neferet<br>Location: Throne room<br>Tagged: octavian<br><br>The look of disgust on her face as he talks is pretty clear, and she makes a mental note to avoid him from now on. She really hopes that the rest of these people wont be such a barbarian and a rude one at that. "hmm I am sure you find that.. interesting. Now pardon me." her voice cold as she turns and walks away without even trying to be polite anymore. After a quick look around the room she decides she has had enough of these barbarians and hurries out of the room with clenched fists silently going through several prayers meant to calm her down. If he had meant to push her away he sure did succeed, but she is glad they got that over with so she now knows where he stands.. and he stands firmly in the category of people she wouldn't piss on if their heart&nbsp; was on fire. Once she has cleared the castle she stops to inhale the fresh air, it may be cold but with less stench then inside of the throne room, to much perfume and to many unwashed nobles. Why did these people think that just dabbing on more perfume instead of taking a bath was a good idea?<br><br>"Ancestors... spare me these.. oooo." she growls and a guard looks up in surprise but doesn't say anything to the crazy necrophiliac priestess, it is quite clear he is more interested in getting away from her then anything else. Which suits her just fine, after all she herself has spread more then a few of the rumors going around just so people will ignore her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 15:59:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Morning<br><strong>Location:</strong> In her chambers --&gt; Castle Hall<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Open<br><br><hr><br>It had been nearly a week, and Princess Evelyn had been growing increasingly suspicious of Octavius. Perhaps it was because she couldn't figure out his real reason for being here. Perhaps it was because his arrival came right around the time of the invasion. Was he here to defend the realm of Freeport or was he here to conquer? She had no loyalties to him or to the realm of Freeport. She was a diplomat from Trissea. She assumed her note had gotten through because she hadn't heard anything since. Besides, there was no news that the large invasion force sitting on the edge of the realm had made any moves.<br><br>Trade was thinning in Freeport, as merchants became hesitant to trade with a kingdom on the verge of war. Not just any war, but one that promised to be among the largest wars in written history. For her own part, the princess wasn't sure she wanted to stick around much longer, but if she were to stick around too long, people would grow suspicious. She didn't want to draw undo attention either to herself or to Trissea. Mary, her hand-maiden, gave Evelyn a start as she burst through the doors with a note:<br><br><div align="center"><em>When sun arise<br>she cannot defy<br>that which all men surmise</em></div><br>Quick and too the point. Evelyn quickly burned the letter and packed a bag. Time was drawing near. War was about to begin and she didn't want to be in Freeport when it did. She quickly exited her chambers and began down the halls of the castle. Clearly a lady on a mission.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 18:16:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle hall<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Open, Evelyn.<br><br><hr><br>Due to his high station, he and his men were given very good quarters, in a tower overlooking the city and port.&nbsp; It was still dreary, as castles were, and even though there was a good window, it was high up, barred in a grid, and not very large, in his bedroom.&nbsp; There was also a small fireplace, a four post bed with heavy curtains, a writing desk under the window and several comfortable chairs around a lacquered table.&nbsp; There was room enough, and to enter you had to pass through a room large enough for his entire entourage, though each man - a thane in Ynysia, which was roughly a baron elsewhere, and thus of considerable rank - had their own room close at hand.<br><br>Octavian would have preferred to stay in his ship at harbor but it would have been an insult to do so and he wasn't ready to start insulting people, yet.&nbsp; At least, not counting those who didn't insult him with suggestions that he was ignorant of the costs of battle, let's say.&nbsp; He settled in.<br><br>He sent a couple of ships to the south to reconnoiter the situation but they hadn't returned in a week though at least one of the ships would be, soon, to give a preliminary report.&nbsp; Another messenger had been sent to Maegonstat to order war preparedness and send more armed men, posing as merchants, to Freeport.&nbsp; He suddenly has a sense that his current bodyguard might be too small and he didn't want to be high and dry if Freeport were taken by storm - he wanted to be able to fight his way out and prepared a couple of routes to do just that.<br><br>He spent a fair bit of time in council with the regent.&nbsp; She wanted his ships and men and he didn't particularly wish to give them.&nbsp; There was considerable give and take which centered around <i>what does Ynysia get from fighting this war?</i>&nbsp; The Queen Regent balked at the costs because who wants to make a potential enemy even more powerful?&nbsp; There were ongoing negotiations.<br><br>His thanes had been given bags of money and told to spend it among the staff of the royal residence - he would pay good money for good information.&nbsp; Octavian knew that the bolder of the household staff would freely gull him, but a few bits of silver to subvert royal servants was a bargain in his book.&nbsp; Even if they lied, they took his money, they stopped being the King and Queen Regent's people and were, at least in part, now <i>his</i> paid retainers.&nbsp; If it came out that he had bribed some staff, well, that was to be expected.&nbsp; If it came out that they took bribes, it would be the ax for treachery.&nbsp; But at the moment he wanted information, and even just plain things, or things that seemed plain but could offer separate intepretations when viewed in the light of an impending war.<br><br>He kept waiting for news from the south saying that a war had started but it didn't come.&nbsp; That was a strategic mistake, he thought, allowing the other side to summon their strength.&nbsp; The first time an enemy would hear of his troop movements would be in burned cities and captured strongholds.<br><br>He had taken to wearing a suit of hidden brigandine mail.&nbsp; He still dressed with great outward wealth, but he suddenly felt a bit of need for some steel between his skin and all the knives out there.&nbsp; There were only a few Ynysian blades in a sea of hostile foreigners.<br><br>When Evelyn left with her servant and a bag, clearly on a mission, there were servants everywhere and the news was brought to Octavian.&nbsp; He grabbed the half dozen of his men who were there and double-timed it to cut off the Trissean princess.&nbsp; The seven of them, armed to the teeth, caught up to the princess in one of the many halls of the rambling castle.<br><br>Octavian said, "Going somewhere in a hurry, princess?&nbsp; I do not believe that her royal majesty has given you leave, but there you are, bag in hand, very much looking like you're going somewhere."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 18:33:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Morning<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle Hall<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Octavian, Open<br><br><hr>Evelyn had hoped to escape the castle unnoticed. She had overstayed her leave there, and the tensions had only risen in the last week. She was hurrying through the halls when she rounded a corner to find Octavian with seven of his men armed. Evelyn herself knew how to fight decently well. She was trained by her father's chief bodyguard. However, her maid Mary probably had no idea. Besides the two girls were no match for the Thane and his men. <br><br>She gave Octavian a gentle smile, she tried to make it genuine and was fairly sure she had made it passable, "Octavian!" A hint of surprise in her voice. <em>Why must it have been Octavian? And how had he known?</em> She noticed there wasn't a lot of surprise in his voice and his tone was even a bit... She didn't want to say threatening. It didn't feel threatening. Accusatory. Yes. That was it. She felt as though he were accusing her of something.<br><br>"Well, Octavian," She said, a certain aura of nobleness in her voice after considering what best to say, "It just so happens I am going somewhere. Then of course everyone is going <em>somewhere</em> I suppose. For example you, with all those armed men, where might you be off to?" She wanted to turn the focus of this little encounter back to Octavian. <br><br>"You won't find me waving a metal toy around in this castle. But you, you and your men come here and flaunt some ancient treaty so that you can carry you toys around." She took a step towards him and began to circle him. <em>He was rather handsome,</em> She thought as she did so. "Does it make you feel safe? Strong?" she paused a moment before making her most manly voice possible, "Maaanly?" She continued circling around all the way back to the front of the Thane, "Or perhaps you're just making up for something... lacking." She ran her finger down from her chest as she spoke, and pulled it away as she got to his waist. Mary the handmaid tried to stifle her laughter, but couldn't. She held a hand over her mouth so as not to offend--at least any more than her Lady, the princess had.<br><br>"Now, Octavian, if you'll excuse us, we really must be off." With that she tried to scoot around the Thane and his men hoping that they would simply clear a path for her. Mary followed close behind.<br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC NOTE</div><div class="spoiler_body">I'm sorry, I think I've been calling you Octavius. I'll try to fix it from now on, promise.</div></div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 18:51:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle hall<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Open, Evelyn.<br><br><hr><br>He laughed, drew his sword and lowered it so it blocked her as she tried moving around him and his men - he had no intent of putting a possible enemy at his back, or in allowing her to escape so easily.&nbsp; The blade of the sword was black, but when the light hit it, there was a rainbow pattern, and the whole blade looked wet, like it should be dripping water.&nbsp; While it was hilted in gold and ivory, the blade, itself, was unadorned except for some Ynysian runes on the ricasso, up to around half the length up the blade.&nbsp; This caused his men to unsheath their swords, too.<br><br>"You mean . . . these toys?&nbsp; But do they make me feel safe?&nbsp; No.&nbsp; Safer?&nbsp; Yes.&nbsp; And I have always been amused about how <i>your</i> - feel free to substitute any 'you', there - ancient laws, customs and traditions are vital and essential elements to your institutions and national character, whereas <i>my</i> ancient laws, customs and traditions are worthy of jokes.&nbsp; Regardless, the fact remains, we have the swords and none of that changes one iota that this is a very suspicious time to be leaving on the sly," he said.<br><br>He leaned in a bit.&nbsp; "But I we don't need to be enemies.&nbsp; As chance would have it, I have made preparations to leave the castle, swiftly, myself.&nbsp; These are dangerous times.&nbsp; And right this moment something occurred to me.&nbsp; There is a large army sitting on the southern border but it's not <i>doing</i> anything.&nbsp; That's a mistake, strategically speaking, because it allows the enemy to prepare defenses . . . unless it is a ruse.&nbsp; It's a trick I use, myself, people look at the sword and I . . ."&nbsp; He tapped the hilt of his anelace.&nbsp; "Draw the sly blade.&nbsp; I've killed more people with the anelace than the sword because they don't see it coming until too late, though it is a smaller weapon, it is also faster and usually hidden by my cloak.&nbsp; It makes me wonder if you know something about the sly blade, something I don't know but <i>want</i> to know.<br><br>"Or, alternately, I can keep you here and send off one of my lads to fetch the palace guard.&nbsp; If you'd rather talk to them than me."<br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">I hadn't even noticed it.&nbsp; ;D</div></div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 19:10:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Morning<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle Hall<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Octavian, Open<br><br><hr>Evelyn was stopped as Octavian lowered his sword blocking her way between him and the wall. She stopped, but didn't back away. She gave a look of mild annoyance as she listened to Octavian talk about his toys. "Oh you prefer smaller toys... I should have guessed." She glanced back at Mary and gave a quick wink to which Mary began snickering again.<br><br><em>What did he <strong>know</strong>?</em> She wondered as she listened to him talk about how he would attack the realm of Freeport if he were in charge of the invasion force. She listened quietly standing still, her dress crunching up against the blade. "I'm afraid the palace guard will be busy." She said quite plainly. <br><br>Almost immediately after, a cry rang out from somewhere deep in the palace walls. The sound of palace guards running through the halls spread quickly as the castle bells began to ring. Horns called all palace guards to work. While all of this was happening, Evelyn turned quickly and ran down the hallway away from Octavian and his men. She hoped that in the instant of the commotion, they would take their eyes off of her for a split second and that would give her the time she needed to get away.<br><br>Evelyn ran as quickly as she could, but she heard Octavian's men close behind her. She had a difficult time running in her dress, and cursed the fact that women were expected to wear them. She rounded a few corners, but didn't stand a chance against Octavian's men. They caught up to her and she stopped, giving up. She turned to face their questions.<br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">Scenario One: Octavian Catches the Princess</div><div class="spoiler_body"> Evelyn ran as quickly as she could, but she heard Octavian and his men close behind her. She had a difficult time running in her dress, and cursed the fact that women were expected to wear them. She rounded a few corners, but didn't stand a chance against Octavian and his men. They caught up to her and she stopped, giving up on running. She turned to face their questions.</div></div><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">Scenario Two: Princess Evelyn gets Away</div><div class="spoiler_body">Evelyn ran as Octavian and his men were distracted. They didn't look away long. Perhaps Octavian even noticed that Evelyn had taken off, but gave a little smile loving the hunt, and gave her a chance. He liked the sport of it, after all. Evelyn and Mary rounded a few corners and went down a corridor, she could hear Octavian and his men close behind, but far enough that she had time to form a plan. <br><br>She rounded another corner and flung into a palace guard. "Help!" She cried, "Octavian and his men! They killed the queen and they aim to kill us too!" As Octavian and his men caught up, Princess Evelyn was hiding teary eyed behind the guard. There were 14 palace guards nearby, four in the group that Evelyn had gone to, hearing the commotion the other ten palace guards came closer to listen in. "Hold right there" the palace guards demanded drawing their swords and holding a hand out gesturing to Octavian.<br><br>As the guards were busy with Octavian and Octavian (was probably) trying to clear his name and tell the guards how they'd been duped, Evelyn slipped away. She exited a servant door near the kitchen, and quickly ran to the stables, got on horse and rode with Mary at her back, back to the orphanage. She was in a hurry, and didn't really try to keep her path hidden. She needed to get out of the empire. The pyres signalling that the invading force had crossed the border were lit on the far mountain. A signal from the frontier of the Freeport realm. The war had begun. The queen had been slain.</div></div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 19:36:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle hall<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Open, Evelyn.<br><br><hr><br>It wasn't like he was unaware she was looking to run, so when she did, he and his men came straight after her.&nbsp; Octavian, himself, was a tall, athletic man into his physical prime - even in armor, he had a good middle distance run.&nbsp; Additionally, it was harder to run in a long dress than in armor.<br><br>When Evelyn and her maid were cornered, though, Octavian said, "Take the servant."&nbsp; He wasn't even winded, he was barely warmed up.&nbsp; One of his men sheathed his sword and grabbed Mary, drew his dagger and put the edge on Mary's throat.&nbsp; Then Octavian laid his sword at the hollow of Evelyn's throat.&nbsp; Octavian seriously considered just killing Evelyn but she was an ambassador.&nbsp; If she plotted to murder the Queen Regent or, heaven help her, the royal heir, under the flag of embassy, that was enough damage to the possibility of diplomacy, so he pulled the sword away.<br><br>The thanes that straggled caught up.&nbsp; One of them, Ethebert, said, "Grace, we were almost stopped by a guard."<br><br>"What did you do to him?" Octavian said.<br><br>Ethebert said, "He didn't have his helmet on, so I just hit him with my gauntlet.&nbsp; He's like to live."<br><br>Octavian frowned, thought a moment.&nbsp; He said to Evelyn, "You are a princess and should be treated as such.&nbsp; Give me your word that you won't try to escape and I won't have you tied hand and foot like a prize of war.&nbsp; I will hold your servant as bond against an attempt at flight.&nbsp; We will leave the castle by horse, for the docks, and you will behave as if we are your guards in this clearly troubled time.&nbsp; Do I have your word?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 20:05:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Morning<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle Hall<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Octavian, Open<br><br><hr><br>Evelyn watched as one of Octavian's men came forward and grabbed Mary. Evelyn did have a dagger tucked away in her dress, but she was no match for one of the men let alone all of them. Anger filled her gaze as she stared at Octavian, his sward to her neck. She held her neck high, her pulse racing, partially from running, in part because she was afraid of what Octavian may do. Even her breathing quickened as her chest pushed against her corset under her dress. She was never very good at hiding her fear. When she tried, she looked defiant. Behind the defiant front she showed, though, someone who read fear very well would see it in her eyes.<br><br>She listened as the man came up, <em>Did Octavian and his men kill the queen!? And if so, how did her informant know?</em> She had many questions in her head, but right now her main worry was the blade to her throat. She listened to Octavian. He didn't like that they would be holding Mary. And though she was suspicious of Octavian, thus far he seemed to be a man of his word. Honor seemed to be deep in his veins from ancient times. But she wanted to hear it from him: "You have my word if I have your that you will release Mary once we are at the docks."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>doodasaurus</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 20:26:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://rpgs.chrisbradleywriter.com/images/d/d4/Octavian.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Octavian Lucius John Augustus, Duke of Ynysia<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle hall<br><strong>Tagged:</strong> Open, Evelyn.<br><br><hr><br>"No," he said when she made her request.&nbsp; He did not find either her fear or defiance interesting - he had held enough people at the tip of a sword to know how they reacted, fear and defiance were common - but he found her concern for her servant interesting.&nbsp; He held Evelyn's eyes.&nbsp; "If you wanted more consideration than what I'm giving you, you shouldn't have insulted me and then ran after suggesting you're part of whatever is stirred up in this castle.&nbsp; You had your chance to treat with me in a courteous and respectful way, but you chose petty insults and flight, instead.<br><br>"Your options are to either swear you will not run or I will carry you out of here, myself.&nbsp; Well, not myself, one of the lads will do the actual lifting, but I'll leave your servant's body in a puddle of her own fucking blood with gut wound.&nbsp; It'll take days for her to die, days of incredible agony, and it's likely that the people here in the castle will also have some very pointed questions for her, too, asked with tongs and a torch."<br><br>The man holding Mary reversed his knife and placed it over her belly, the tip digging in enough to bring a spot of blood up.&nbsp; It was very clear that he would do it without a second thought.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Sex, plotting and betrayal in the Castle (IC)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Pipaluk</strong> on <strong>07-08-2013, 20:44:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/ppOzMvN.jpg)</div><br><strong>Name:</strong> Evelyn Mackenzie, Princess of Trissea, Ambassador to the Freeport Realm.<br><strong>Time:</strong> Morning<br><strong>Location:</strong> Castle Hall<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Octavian, Open<br><br><hr><br>Evelyn looked at the man, she was embarrassed by her actions. How could she be so stupid. Now she definitely looked guilty. Octavian was right, she shouldn't have run. Normally her decisions are well thought out and calculated, but this one, this was panic. She knew the queen was about to be killed and she didn't want anyone to think she had done it. She ran. It wasn't necessarily the running she was embarrassed of. It was the getting caught. She was embarrassed because she shouldn't have run, knowing she couldn't outrun the Ynisians.<br><br>"Stop. Please." She interrupted Octavian when he began talking about days of incredible agony. She didn't want to hear anymore talk like that. She couldn't bare to think of Mary being treated so cruelly, and due to her own actions. She saw the man holding Mary make a sudden move. He had moved his dagger to her stomach. Evelyn knew well what a stomach wound would do. And Octavian was right. It would be days of incredible agony. "No!" She turned back to Octavian, "You have my word."<br><br>Evelyn had no idea what Octavian's part in this whole ordeal was. She doubted that he was taking her prisoner due to some loyalty to the queen. There was no way this would be his actions if he thought she were the guilty party. A man like Octavian, she assumed, wouldn't have cared in the least about her if he suspected her of killing the queen. He would leave the queens guard to deal with her, wouldn't he? She looked at him, trying to get a read, but he was hard to read. She looked straight into his eyes, "I will not run."<br><br><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">OOC NOTE</div><div class="spoiler_body">We should probably hold up after your post and post a summary in the OOC thread so other's can catch up. I'll get to work on the summary in the OOC thread.</div></div>
			</dd>
		</dl>
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