Author's notes: Hoping everyone had a safe and happy Easter!
Here is my Easter present to all of you: a brand new chapter!
Enjoy, and as always, please review!
**Begin Story**
Alastair Teague sat alone in a carriage returning to his home. Although he had crossed into his lands sometime ago, he had yet to reach his home at the center of his domain, his inheritance. All his lands, his home, his servants, and the company of mage knights he employed, were all bestowed upon him at the death of his father.
Indeed the Founder has blessed us, he mused to himself.
In truth, Lord Teague was rather eager to return home. He had been away for over a month attempting to locate a certain someone. Oh, he talked to all the right people, asked all the right questions, and paid all the right bribes, but still he had yet to see any sign of his quarry. So it was with a heavy heart that Alastair began his long journey home. Even so, he very much looked forward to relaxing in front of his own fire, along with a glass of his favorite wine, and his adoring wife. After that, maybe he'd make time for the mistress as well. He was just beginning to think of her, dressed in the provocative lace outfit that he bought her, when his home at last came into view.
Home at last! He thought to himself.
It wasn't until the carriage rolled to a complete stop in front of his door, that he noticed something amiss. Well, a few things actually.
"Where is everyone?" he said to no one in particular.
Nobles with similar status grow accustomed to being treated in a certain manner, like being greeted by a formation of servants upon returning home from a long journey. Today however, there was nothing to greet him but the whistling wind.
Cautiously, he stepped out of the carriage, his shoes crunching against the bare cobblestones below, yet another sensation he was unaccustomed to experiencing upon returning home. His feet should be treading upon a red and gold carpet, not coarse, grating stones.
Alastair slowly made his way up to the mansion, and stopped at the front door, which was slightly ajar. He slowly pushed his head inside, and took a quick look around his mansion's main hall. Eerie, empty darkness were all that greeted his eyes. After stepping inside, he gave his eyes a moment to adjust to the lack of light, and soon spotted a pair of feet lying at the top of the steps, leading to his living quarters.
His pulse pounded in his temples as bounded up each step, racing to ascertain just who those fallen feet belonged to. When he reached the top he saw a man with close cropped black hair dressed in a servant uniform.
"Marcus!" Lord Teague said with alarm in his voice.
Lying senseless at the top of the stairs was the Teague Manor's house manager, Marcus.
Alastair gently cradled the servants head as he checked for any sign of what felled his faithful servant. With no physical indications of injury to be found, the young Lord could reach only one conclusion. Magic!
Wand out, he slowly crept down the long hallway, until he came upon another still figure.
His world grew cold.
"Oh no! Please Founder no!"
Lying sprawled out in the doorway leading to his bed chamber, was the Lady Teague.
Alastair cried out in anguish as he sank to his knees.
He sat for a moment, holding his wife's hand, swearing revenge under his breath to whoever was responsible for this, when a sudden intrusion got his attention.
"Whenever, you're finished being melodramatic, you can come in so that we may discuss our business."
Alastair looked up. The voice came from inside his bed chamber.
He slowly opened the door, and stepped in the room. Seated on a chair in the shadows, was a figure that appeared to be reading a book.
"You!" shouted Alastair Teague. "What is the meaning of this? What have you done to my servants, my guards, and my wife?" Alastair pointed his wand.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Alastair quickly chanted his spell, throwing a blast of wind at his seated opponent. The figure did not move. He simply held up his hand and pushed the spell back at the one who cast it.
Lord Teague was thrown, quite forcefully, back into the hallway.
After a few moments the shaken noble burst into the room once again, wand at the ready.
"I don't know who you are," he said, out of breath, "but this contest will not end until one of us lies dead!"
The seated figure never stood up, nor raised his voice. He didn't even take his eyes off of his book as he replied: "I am not in the habit of killing my clients. It's not good business."
"Clients?"
"Unless," the figure replied calmly, "you made all those inquiries about me for reasons other than wanting to engage my services, in which case it will be quite impossible for me to leave you alive. By the way, you can put away your wand. Your need to avenge your fallen wife and servants is unnecessary. I merely rendered them unconscious so that we may conduct our business in privacy."
With that, the figure rose from his seat and stepped out of the shadows. The first thing Alastair noticed about the man, other than his strange attire, was his rather long and pointed ears.
The elf!
Standing before Alastair was none other than Lolindir Nenharma, the elven assassin. It was then that he understood why he had not been able to find this person during his journey. One does not simply find Lolindir Nenharma.
He finds you.
Lolindir gestured towards another empty chair.
"To business then."
Alastair sat in a chair opposite the elf and studied him closely.
He was tall, and had blonde hair like other elves, but his was cut shorter and tied behind his rather handsome face in a ponytail. He had pale, almost white skin, and a demeanor that suggested that he that he was not to be taken lightly. It was his polite, and matter of fact manner, which fed into his aura. An aura that read: cross me and die.
"Before getting into the specifics of the contract, there are some conditions I need to lay down. First my fee, I collect it all up front and that is non-negotiable. Second, you are never to utter my name out loud again after our parting today, not even in a whisper. Third, our relationship is a onetime affair. I never work for the same client twice, and do not try to engage me by proxy. The penalty for failing to abide by these rules is a most painful death. Are we in agreement?"
Alastair simply gave a wide-eyed nod as his reply.
"Good. Now, how can I be of service to you today?"
Alastair pulled a piece of parchment out his cloak, and handed it to the elf. As the elf studied the names written on it, Alastair asked:
"Can you kill these people?"
The assassin folded up the parchment and replied, "Yes." Then after a pause, he continued.
"However, the high profile nature of the target will mean that upon completion of the assignment, I will likely be a wanted man, and I will be hunted by both your kind as well as mine. I will have to disappear after this. Are there any specific instructions as to the manner in which you want their deaths to occur?"
"Yes," Alastair replied. "I want their deaths to be public and brutal. These peasants need to see their idol fall!"
"A public death increases the risk to me." The elf stated. "Therefore my compensation shall increase as well." Lolindir paused for a moment and then named his price.
"Ten thousand Ecu, non-negotiable."
Alastair smiled. "I anticipated that rather exuberant sum."
He rose and went over to a cabinet. Upon opening the door Lord Teague hauled out two medium sized chests. He opened them both in front of his elven guest.
"Ten thousand Ecu coins, enough to buy a castle." Alastair said while running his hands through the pile of glittering gold. "Well how about it elf, a castle in exchange for a king?"
"This is acceptable." The assassin replied. He stood and bowed to his noble host.
"Farewell Alastair Teague. We'll not meet again."
With that the elf snapped his fingers, and Alastair heard his wife gasp loudly. He turned in time to see her open her eyes wide and looking in fear.
Teague ran to his wife and began to comfort her. He turned his gaze upward to where the elf was just standing.
But he and the two chests of gold had already vanished.
**Scene Break**
Bathed in the light of the twin moons streaming through the window, Tristania's Royal Bed Chamber glowed in a soft, warm ambiance.
There, lying in bed flat on his back and staring at the ceiling with wide open eyes, was the King of Tristain.
Saito sighed quietly, his mind racing blindly from one thought to the next. Within his brain, a formless colorful swirl of problems melded together in an unrecognizable mess: the daily business of governing a kingdom, the rebellion, holding off the nobles who were just itching to overthrow him and his wife. Not to mention the fact that he had not seen Guiche, Kirche, Tiffania, or any of his other friends in months. Not since this whole crazy train of events began.
We've just been too busy, he thought.
Just then a soft, low moan broke his musings. The pink haired queen sleeping next to him shifted position, now lying on her stomach. Once she settled, she continued sleeping peacefully.
Saito rolled to his side, and gently stroked the top of Louise's head while he listened to her breathe.
He let his hand move further down, tracing the back of her neck, then slowly down her back, his finger gently leaping from one vertebra to the next, all the way down.
He leaned forward, and gently kissed his wife on the neck before carefully getting out of bed.
After putting on his robe, Saito quietly stepped out of the room, and grabbed one of the lit lamps that hung on the walls of the palace corridors.
He had developed a habit of wandering these halls at night, when he could not sleep. His mind was so full of the issues, and dangers that they faced, sleep was just not easy to come by. He honestly could not understand how Louise managed to sleep despite all of this.
He crept down into the kitchen, and boiled himself a cup of hot tea.
Yeah, I could have Siesta or one of the other servants do this. He thought. But it just wouldn't feel right to wake them in the middle of the night for something like this.
Stepping quietly, so his footsteps would not echo loudly, Saito climbed up one of the palace towers, and stepped out onto one of the outer walls that ringed the palace. Guards at their posts saluted the King as he made his way past them.
He stopped halfway along the length of the walkway, and leaned himself against the brick wall and looked out over the city.
The two moons of Halkeginia shone brightly, two bright orbs, hanging peacefully against a back drop of sparkling stars. The city of Tristainia sprawled out elegantly below.
Saito took a sip of his tea, quietly taking in the scene before him.
Again his worries took over his mind. The rebellion, the nobility, the death threats, all fighting for supremacy in the war to cause him gray hair.
But in all the whirlwind of woes in his mind, one thought still stood out in front of them all.
You know the real reason why you can't sleep at night.
He was thinking about Him.
The strange hooded man who attacked him the night Queen Henrietta and Tabitha were taken.
The man who called himself Alexander Dufresne.
Specifically, Saito was thinking about what Alexander had told him while he attacked him.
You betrayed who you were!
Betrayed you family!
Your friends!
Your humanity!
You even betrayed the woman you love!
"Me betray Louise?" He said out loud. Never!
How could I have possibly done these things? He wondered to himself.
Saito again looked up at the stars; thinking about what he may have done to deserve these harsh accusations, when something else that hooded man said to him came to mind.
And now it seems that even the stars themselves are to suffer your wrath!
Again Saito turned his gaze skyward, looking at the twinkling lights above.
The stars? What could I possibly do to the stars?
In truth Saito had not spent a great deal of time contemplating the stars since arriving at Halkeginia. Whenever he did gaze at the sky, it was usually the moons that grabbed his attention. However, there were a few occasions where he did try to find a recognizable constellation or two. He found none.
He also wondered more than once, if one of those points of light up there might be his own sun.
Home.
"Wandering around in the middle of the night again?"
Saito quickly turned to find the source of the sudden intrusion into his thoughts. It was Agnes, captain of the Musketeer Corp.
"Oh, hello Agnes," Saito greeted.
"Another sleepless night sire?" Agnes asked her King.
"Yes, and I told you to stop with the sire crap. I'm just Saito."
"And I told you, that like it or not you are now the King of Tristain. You need to get used to being addressed as such."
"Sorry, I guess I'm just testy from the lack of sleep."
"Yes, I've noticed you wandering around here night after night. You need sleep. A king needs to keep his wits about him. Remain sharp."
They both stood silently for a few moments, taking in the magnificent view that the city gave them. Finally Saito decided to break the silence.
"Hey Agnes."
"Hmm?" Agnes replied, not taking her eyes off the view.
"Have you ever looked up at the stars at night, and wondered what they were?"
Agnes looked at Saito with a rather confused expression, as if to wonder why he would even ask such a question.
"What do you mean wondered what they were? Everyone knows the stars are where the spirits of those who remained faithful to Brimir go. If the Founder favors you, your spirit ascends to the heavens after you die. There you take your place among your ancestors, and watch over Halkeginia."
Saito blinked his eyes at the response. It was said with such authority, as if there were no room for argument. Well. Who was Saito to say that it wasn't true at all? With everything he had witnessed here over the past few years, it just might be.
"Anyway, I never allowed myself time for such trivial pursuits." Agnes continued, "My focus was always on finding those responsible for destroying my village."
Saito simply nodded in his reply. He recalled how Agnes' hometown had been deliberately burned to the ground by fire mages under orders from the Church. Three year old Agnes was the only one to survive the massacre. She had spent her life tracking down those responsible and plotting her revenge.
"Now I spend my time contemplating my failure to protect Her Majesty Henrietta from that criminal Robert de Sable."
"That wasn't your fault Agnes. You were investigating the cause of the explosion that destroyed the Griffin Knights. There was no way you could have been in two places at once."
Agnes gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. Twisting as she fought to maintain composure.
"The Queen's safety was my responsibility and I failed. It is that simple."
Saito placed a reassuring hand on Agnes' shoulder, and spoke directly to her wounded emotions.
"Now mine and Louise's safety is your responsibility, and we trust you completely."
Saito gripped her shoulder tightly for a moment and released.
"And there is no one else we would trust with our lives." Saito finished.
With that the King started the long walk back to his bed chamber to try to get at least some sleep before the sun rose. Tomorrow was going to be a long night. His wife was throwing another party with the nobles.
Agnes was left alone on the palace wall, contemplating the King's words.
I will not fail again.
**Scene Break**
Saito slowly crept back into bed, being careful not to wake the still sleeping Louise. As he laid his head on the pillow, the strange hooded figure of Alexander Dufresne still filled his mind. After a time, he began to feel drowsy. Sleep was coming at last. Before his consciousness left him completely, the last words Alexander spoke to him echoed in his mind. Spoken after Saito asked him why he did not kill him.
You are not the man I've come to kill.
Not Yet.
**Scene Break**
Queen Josette rose out of bed and stared at the morning sun streaming through her window. It was another day in Gallia. She looked to her right and saw the empty space in bed next to her where Julio slept, and knew that he must be already conferring with the Bishop. Josette grimaced slightly when she thought of that man from Romalia, the man who came with the Pope's authority to take over her kingdom. For while the nobility still bowed in her presence and servants still addressed her as Your Majesty or Your Highness, in truth Josette was Queen of Gallia in name only, a figurehead.
Gallia was an occupied territory.
In the two months that had passed since Bishop Franco Viscido had arrived, he had set out to systematically make himself and the Pope's decrees the only real source of political power in Gallia. Josette had slowly and steadily found herself to be more and more marginalized. Until finally her only purpose seemed to be appearing at functions designed legitimize the Bishop's rule, and placing her signature on the death warrants that graced her desk every day.
Josette walked over to the vanity and took in her reflection. The visage that greeted her was not a healthy one. The Queen eyes were dull, sunken, bloodshot orbs that bore dark circles under them, a sure sign of the stress that she had been subjected to. She wore her worries on her increasingly haggard face, and silently wondered to herself how much longer this Papal rule would go on.
She tried to force a smile. But the only problem with a forced smile of course is that it looks, well…forced.
The Queen sighed. "How can I try to make people believe that I am happy and content when I can't even smile?" She said out loud. After brushing her hair, and dressing, she came back to the mirror to try again. Better, she decided, but still not convincing.
She got up and walked out of the room, heading toward the palace garden for breakfast and morning tea.
**Scene Break**
"Good Morning Your Majesty!" Bishop Viscido greeted the Queen warmly.
She smiled weakly and nodded in return as she took her seat at the breakfast table.
"How many will I be sending to their deaths today?" She asked
"Your Majesty I am disappointed in you." The Bishop said. You seem to think that executions are all that we do here."
"Aren't they?" The Queen interrupted with a raised eyebrow.
"Our purpose here is to bring the people in line with the Pope's vision for Halkeginia. The Royal families are an extension of that vision. Therefore, rebellion against the Royalty is rebellion against the Pope. They are heretics Your Majesty, and must be dealt with harshly."
"Four Thousand people!" The Queen yelled. "Were there really four thousand heretics running loose in my kingdom? Because that's how many death warrants I've had to sign in the past two months! That's how many of my subjects you have fed to that—that machine in the courtyard!"
Josette said while pointing in the courtyard's direction.
"Remember Your Majesty, these rebels follow a man who was responsible for the death of your sister."
"I know who killed Charlotte.' Josette seethed. I also know that those death warrants I signed have nothing to do with what happened to her."
"Were only talking about Four thousand, out of fifteen million. Your kingdom has hardly been depopulated your highness."
"Yes your eminence, but where does it stop? Where is the end to this carnage? I only ask because I can't seem to be able to see it."
"I ask that you exercise some patience Your Majesty. The trials are having an effect. Unrest is fading from the streets, our soldiers are noticing that."
"It's because the people are afraid to venture out of their homes. They are afraid of being caught up in one of your Public Safety sweeps."
"As I said, fear is an indispensable part of faith. The people of Gallia know that the eyes of God are upon them, and that God's justice will be swift, and terrible, for anyone who dares to speak out against his divine vision for this land."
Josette stared, wide-eyed at the Bishop, whose own eyes shown such enthusiasm as he spoke his last statement; something she should have seen from the beginning had suddenly become very clear to her."
"You're mad." The Queen said.
"And you are dangerously close to being subjected to an inquiry yourself Josette." The Bishop countered while using the Queen's name rather than her title.
"You would do well to remember, that the Romalian exequatur grants me authority to perform an inquiry on anyone. That includes members of the Royal Family. Like yourself for example, or Julio, or even your mother."
Josette's eyes narrowed. "Leave my mother out of this."
"It seems that she was negligent in teaching you proper respect for his Holiness and his divine right to administer the Word of God in Halkeginia. Failure to properly indoctrinate one's children in Church doctrine is punishable by death."
The Bishop said this while bearing a wide menacing smile.
Josette stared blankly, too frightened to say anything more.
"Now if you'll excuse me Your Highness, The morning inquiries are about to start."
The Bishop rose and left the table, stopping only to address the two guards who stood watch at the breakfast table.
"Watch her, and make sure that she finds her way to her office. There will be more warrants requiring her signature."
As Bishop Viscido strolled away, Queen Josette of Gallia placed her head face down on the table and wept.
**Scene Break**
"Louise."
Saito leaned over and whispered to his wife.
"Are you sure that it is really appropriate to have a party right now, given the current state of things?"
"Look Saito, things may be difficult right now, but we still have to mingle and draw up support among the nobles." Louise replied while waving and smiling toward the crowd in the main hall.
The King and Queen of Tristain stood on the upper balcony overlooking the main hall of the Royal Palace. Banners bearing the Royal Crest draped from the railing and hung from the walls.
Standing a short distance away, guarding the stairs that led from the floor of the main hall, to the balcony occupied by the Tristanian Royals was Captain Agnes. She cast a wary eye on every guest at the party below, ensuring that no danger to her two royal charges existed.
Waiters and servants hustled to each guest, refilling wine and keeping them happy. Some walked around with trays of finger food. While others took soiled dishes back to the kitchen for washing. On an elevated platform beneath the balcony, a band played a waltz, while guests danced slowly on the dance floor.
Agnes continued observing the guests below, when something got her attention.
Now when a person's mission in life is to watch and protect against possible threats to the safety of others, that person develops a certain instinct, a sixth sense if you will, about who can be considered potentially hostile. Almost like radar that enables you to detect danger long before most other people could.
Right now Agnes' internal radar was screaming like crazy.
Her eyes settled on a figure moving quickly and smoothly through the crowd. Whoever this was clearly knew how to move efficiently without any wasted motion whatsoever.
The figure was tall and wearing a rather large hat, concealing the top of his head.
Agnes quickly moved down the steps toward the crowd to intercept the figure, being careful not to alarm anyone unnecessarily.
Agnes caught up to the suspicious person and grabbed his wrist.
"Halt! What is your business here?"
No reply came. Instead with a whirl of his cloak the figure broke free from Agnes' grip and levitated her off the ground. Then with a quick motion with his hands he had her thrown violently against the wall. She collapsed in a motionless heap.
Panic broke out among the guests, and they scattered while screaming in panic.
The guards stationed along the main hall's walls drew their swords.
With a wave of his hand the man made the entire guard cadre slam into the unforgiving stones and drop to the floor unconscious.
"Who are you?" this from Louise atop the balcony.
The figure slowly stepped forward and removed his hat. With his hat off the figure's long ears became exposed, eliciting a gasp from Louise and Saito.
"You're an elf!"
"Please Your Majesty, allow me to introduce myself. I am Lolindir Nenharma, and I am here to kill you."
"We have a treaty with the elves!" Louise shouted. "There are no hostilities between us."
"I do not serve the elven council. We stand apart. I am employed by the highest bidder, and my current employer wishes you to die a very public and very brutal death."
"I'm curious." Saito said "a man likes to know the true value of his own life. So tell me, what is the going rate for a King these days?"
"Well since I am going to kill you anyway, why not?" The elf replied with a smile. "Ten thousand gold Ecu coins, that's what I was paid to end you."
With that the elf spread his arms wide and called on the ancient spirits residing in the stones that made up the castle walls to strike down the two monarchs on the balcony above.
One after another, the bricks left their places in the walls and streamed toward Louise and Saito.
Saito stepped in front of his wife and drew Derflinger. His Gandalfr Runes flared to life as he began whirl the sentient Katana, ready to parry the flying stones as they came at him.
However, he never got the chance. Just before the stones came into range of Derflinger's striking distance, the stones were repelled by an invisible force.
Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!
The sounds of the stones crashing against the Counter barrier rang out in the palace's main hall.
Saito stood confused. What the heck is going on?
The elf was equally confused. He raised his hand and the swords belonging to the unconscious guards began to float in mid-air, surrounded by a green aura. The elf raised his hand all the way above his head and the swords followed. They hung in the air in circle, points facing down slowly rotating above Lolindir's head.
The elf thrust his outstretched hand in Louise and Saito's direction and one by one, the blades broke their formation and streaked towards the couple.
Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!
Each blade collided with the Counter barrier that had mysteriously risen to protect Saito.
Louise decided to take the opportunity to go on the offensive.
"Explosion!"
"No you idiot, He'll Counter it!" yelled Derflinger.
The spell hit the elf who was completely engulfed by the blast, then suddenly, the energy from Louise's Explosion began swirl in front of the elf. Whirling like a giant red pinwheel, the swirl became progressively smaller until it disappeared completely in the space between the elf's two hands.
Closing his right hand and whirling it in a wide backhand motion, Lolindir threw the spell right back at the royal balcony.
The returned spell hit the underside of the balcony with a loud Boom, causing the floor beneath Louise and Saito to give way, sending the King and Queen tumbling to the ground floor along with stone debris of various sizes.
As the dust settled Louise was stunned motionless, Saito was coughing and barely able to move at all. Derflinger lay a short distance away, directly in front of the elven assassin.
Then something rolled away from Saito. It came to a stop after rolling right into Lolindir's feet. The elf bent down to pick up the strange glowing orb, and his face contorted in anger immediately upon recognizing what he held in his hand.
It was the nature spirit stone that Bidashal had given to Saito when they concluded their peace treaty together.
At last the elf understood. So this is what was protecting that barbarian from my magic.
Lolindir held the stone up close to his face. He could see the nature spirits within, whirling and spinning in rage. The spirits that made up the stone had somehow imprinted with this human and were serving him of their own free will.
The fact that elven spirits would so willingly serve a barbarian human such as this served only to fuel Lolindir's animosity."
Saito slowly sat up, eyes still struggling to form a clear picture of what was going on around him.
The elf looked over at Saito and smiled wickedly. Now that he held the stone in his hand, there was nothing protecting the King from his magic.
He raised his hand and Derflinger rose on his own, surrounded by the elf's green spirit aura.
"Partner Run!" Derflinger cried.
The elf thrust his hand forward, and the Katana buried itself deep in Saito's chest.
Saito's face twisted in pain. He looked down and saw a red stain spreading over his shirt, and the blade protruding from his chest.
He fell back and hit the hard stone floor, coughing up blood.
The elf approached Saito, and violently pulled Derflinger out of his chest.
Nearby, Louise was lying on her side on the stone floor; writhing in pain and watching the scene unfold in front of her. The elf was standing over a gravely wounded Saito, holding Derflinger in one hand and a strange glowing orb in the other. Louise's eyes widened in sheer terror. Her dream was now playing out in front her, in stark reality.
It's all coming true!
Lolindir Nenharma leaned in close to Saito, bringing the spirit stone to within inches of his face.
He asked in a menacing voice:
"Where did you get this?"
