Chapter 42
One Good Punch
Things were certainly going Bascomb's way. He remained silent as the King glared down at Lady Lothar.
"Fox, Lord Bascomb has been with me since Loredraon. Please curb your tongue when addressing him at least for that reason alone." Varian tried to keep his voice calm. It was hard for him to hear the open hostility his lady had for the elder Lord. Leaving the two of them alone had been a bad choice to make. "The amount of good he has done for Stormwind and our people is incalculable."
"I know. I have gotten the files from Shaw on his humanitarian efforts." Fox could not keep her self from scoffing. The dark eyes moving to Bascomb with a look of pure disgust. "I also know that he has rerouted the majority of it toward people that meet his own ends."
"Don't we all?" Varian stepped closer to Fox, and stood imposingly over her. He knew this was going to be an issue. She had not grown up in the epicenter of political manoeuvrings. What she had witnessed was the nasty side of it as a SI-7 agent. Had she not told him that she had put an end to the lives of others under the orders of such Lords? It would not be easy for her to take her place as Stormwind's Queen at this rate. The only hope he had was to make Fox understand the unity they had when dealing for the good of Stormwind. "Lord Bascomb's men are my men. We have worked closely together since the reestablishment of Stormwind. If things had been at their worst and Prestor had gained control, Bascomb would have been the first one I called on."
Bascomb smiled at that and added, "And my aid would have been yours." He looked to Fox daring her to deny it. King Wyrnn did have his back against the Lady Lothar, just as he had expected. She might have wormed her way into Varian's bed, but years of dedication could not be overlooked.
"I am not questioning your loyalty to the House of Wyrnn." Fox wanted to go across the war table at the man. The hands opening and closing in fists. "What needs to come to light is your intentions toward the people of Stormwind."
"Fox!" Varian shouted causing her to actually jump. "That will be enough."
She placed a hand to her chest. Could even feel her heart hammering with fear, but refused to back down. "Varian, you need to open your eyes to the Noble set. They have to much power over the people of Stormwind and they have been abusing it for years. With Lord Remmington's death, the scales of power have been tipped. If there is a time to act, it is now. Before another form of corruption takes hold."
"Do you forget that it was Lord Remmington that ordered your assassination, before we knew you were Anduin Lothar's daughter. Lord Winchester, that you became so chummy with was the spear man. If anything is questionable here, it is not Lord Bascomb who has done nothing to you. I do not understand why you are allying yourself against him."
"Because he is manipulating you!" Fox implored Varian to listen to her.
Varian's fist crashed into the table so hard the wood split. "Damn you, Fox. How can you insinuate something like that. You don't have a clue what kind of man he is. Bascomb has been there for me every bit as much as your father was. If anyone can be counted on it is him. I will hear no more of this talk."
Fox clamped her mouth shut and snapped him a formal salute. Then she turned on her heels and stormed out of the room. The angry sway of her hips drew attention to the fact she was patting around for her nonexistent daggers.
"What the hell happened between the two of you while I was gone?" Varian sighed deeply as he looked over at Bascomb. "I know my little Rogue very well. She would not act without provocation."
"Your Majesty, first I want to thank you for standing with me in this matter. I know that can not be easy given the current situation between the two of you." Bascomb lowered his head.
"Harder then you know. I trust that woman with my life. But you, I have trust with my Kingdom and people."
Bascomb popped his head up at those words. "If that is the case, let me tell you that the distrust between the Lady and myself goes both ways. I am still in the middle of my investigation. It will be hard without the SI-7's aid though."
"Shaw's people are always at your disposal." Varian moved to sit down in a chair. The long legs kicked out in front of him as a hand went to his forehead and rubbed trying to dispel a headache.
"Not when I suspect that Mathias Shaw is neck deep in the corruption." Bascomb grumbled low.
Varian closed his eyes and hung his head. "You were not kidding when you said you distrusted Lady Lothar. Spill Bascomb. Tell me what you suspect of my Lady."
"I do not believe she is actually the lady Lothar. I have send out scouts of my own to track down the source of these claims."
Varian chuckled and looked away with an amused smile. "You think Fox is pulling a con on me? Lord Bascomb, the woman has been running from me from the first day I met her. She even took a year break from my presence before returning and actively avoiding me in my own city. Doesn't seem the the trademark approach of a social climber, now does it."
"Yes and it has gained her much personal attention from you. Far more then any of her predecessors, including Prestor, has since your Late Queen." Bascomb watched Varian with sharp interest. The King was listening to him, but he was also dismissing everything that was being said. This was going to be far more difficult then playing the Hawkes. "Just be observant of her actions while I gather my information."
"I am always observant of her." Varian smiled almost wickedly. The look far more annoying to Bascomb then he wanted to admit. "Is there anything else you would have me do?"
"Separate her from the control of the SI-7 and place Mathias Shaw on a short leave."
Varian choked at that and sat forward. The blue eyes pinning on Bascomb again."I can see merit in removing the stress of controlling the SI-7 at this time from Lady Lothar, but Shaw? Really? We need someone knowledgeable at the helm, and there is no one more suited."
"Shaw has a tight grip, your Majesty. If I want to look over the files they have with discretion, he will have to be removed." Bascomb almost whined.
"I am going to refuse you that. Shaw stays in control of the SI-7. If anything happens that can change my mind on the matter, I will consider it. Now if you do not mind, I have a very angry woman to deal with."
"As you wish." Bascomb left and stormed into his own room. In a rage he cleared the desk. Damn the Crimson Fox. She certainly did have her hooks into King Wyrnn. It was time for the gloves to come off. Shouting at the door he said, "Summon Myles Fulbright to the Cathedral of light, and find Astarii." he would find out the Rogue's greatest weakness as he had with the Hawkes. Then he would crush her under his heel.
O0O0O0O0O0O0
Fox paced the floor and wished that she was far from Stormwind. She was so angry with Varian. It was all she could do not to pound her fist into the stone wall over and over. The pacing was not helping. It actually felt as if it was making it worse.
"Lady you should calm down." Damiana spoke up from her position in the chair. The dark eyes pinned on Fox with intensity of a vulture.
Fox turned narrow eyes on the Priestess. She had forgotten the other woman was in the room. "What the hell does it look like I am trying to do, you simpleton."
Damiana bit her lip. It was harder to focus on the spell when Fox looked so imposing. A straight up mind control would have been so much easier, but then the clever Rogue would realize she was being coerced in her emotions. "Perhaps I should make you some of that tea that relaxes you."
"Oh yes, that is exactly what I need right now. A concoction that will lay me out for hours. I will awaken feeling more drugged then rested!" Fox stopped and put a hand to her head. Where were these emotions coming from. She had always been of more even temperament then this. The SI-7 had also trained her in it. There had been drills for crying out loud. Not that she could remember them over the all consuming need to physically hurt someone.
Damiana looked to the door as she heard the footsteps coming down the hall. It was not going to be easy to contain control of her spell while provoking Fox, but this had to be done. "I am merely trying to help you, my Lady." She rose to her feet and moved to take a gentle hold of Fox's shoulders. Knowing just whose shadow entered the door frame.
"I don't want your damn help." Fox turned around and struck the Priestess with a full powered punch. No delicate slap from this Lady.
Damiana struggled to keep the emotions of anger and rage dominant in Fox's mind as she took the first blow. Fox moving to pull her up by the neckline of her robe. The fist pulling back to deliver another strike that did not come.
"Fox!" Varian grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her back. She raged against him trying to pull free. He jerked her around to look into her dark eyes. "What the hell are you doing?"
Damiana dropped the spell fast before Varian could detect the glaze that passed over the lady's eyes. "It's nothing, King Wyrnn. She is merely acting out in a hormonal rage." A hand coming up to cup her face in obvious pain.
"That is not an excuse for assaulting you, Priestess. Nothing you could have done would warrant this kind of reaction." Varian looked over as Damiana pulled her hand away and saw the bruise starting to form on the white cheek. Looking back at a reeling Fox. "Leave us. I need to speak with my Lady in private."
Damiana pushed herself to her feet and made for the door. Her job here was not complete. She stepped into the hall and pulled the door shut. There were no guards on duty due to the fact that the Lady was not suppose to be in residence at that time. Leaning her ear close to the wood to listen.
"What is wrong with you Fox?" Varian let her go and stepped back shaking his head. The blue eyes looking her over with open confusion. This was not the woman he had come to know. Sure, Fox was a known assassin of great skill. She could fight on par with any of the soldiers in his army. But she was silent and controlled most of the time. Even when they had sparred she had been more observant and cunning then likely to resort to brutal force.
Fox was still feeling the buzzing in her head. It was making her sick. "I have no idea. Perhaps the hormones as Damiana suggested?"
"I have known my share of pregnant women. Although none of them are the same, physical violence of this caliber is not something I would expect, unless previously disposed to such action." Varian crossed his arms over his chest as he contemplated her words.
Fox let out a humorless laugh and rolled her eyes. The arms flying wide. "Well I am a Rogue. Perhaps you should brace yourself to be ruthlessly stabbed when the feeling takes me. Oh by the Light, I just sounded like Learen."
"Fox, you are the Queen of Stormwind. Somethings can not be tolerated from someone in your position." Varian reminded her with no small amount of emphasis.
"And that is why I didn't want to marry you! But you are the one who talked my parents into the wondrous possibilities of this idea." Fox dropped her face in her hands. "What is happening to me? It's like I am becoming a person I don't even know."
Varian moved to embrace her. "I know there has been so much pressure put on you as of late. We can get through this if you just lean on me a little more."
Fox wrapped her arms around him and leaned her cheek into the thick plate covering his chest. "I want to go back to Lion's Landing. Where I was just an over worked Rogue running from task to task doing what I was told. It was so much easier being a lackey."
"And yet you never do what I tell you." Varian kissed the top of her head.
She frowned and grumbled back, "Because you are always wrong."
O0O0O0O0O0O
Winchester looked up from his paper laden desk to see Shaw entering his private office. Cocking up one eyebrow he set the folders aside. "Spy Master, what can I do for you?"
"You can start with telling me why Fox has been removed from overseeing the SI-7. Then having it set under your command?" Shaw stalked toward the other man with an intimidating gait. He had no liking for answering to a Noble, even if it was Winchester. As much as the other man had done to endear himself, there was years of bad blood that could not be ignored.
"Me? You are kidding right?" Winchester leaned back in his chair. A simple tilt of his head confirming that he was telling the truth.
Shaw stopped dead in his tracks. "You didn't have a hand in this?"
Winchester put his hands on the desk and came to his feet. "I had no clue. If I did, it would have been me informing you of what was happening."
"Then we have to reason out why Varian would do this to us." Shaw threw his hands up. Dragging then through his ginger hair in frustration. "Why would they pick you. Almost everyone still believes we are at odds over even the smallest details.
"Bascomb is the only likely culprit. He must be planning something, and it's big. He would be the only one who could motivate the King to do something of this magnitude with out Lady Lothar openly ripping their head off their shoulders." Winchester pointed out. A low groan escaped the Lord as his head dropped low and his bangs dropped over his face. "You know what this means, don't you?"
"Yes, and none of the possible outcomes are good for any of us."
"We are on the same page then. If I consider the facts, I would say he is aiming to destroy the SI-7 with me as collateral damage. It would kill two birds with one stone to take out the both of us at the same time. Still I am sitting pretty strong in my political connections thanks to the Lady Lothar. Is there a chink in your organization's armor?" Winchester looked back up at Shaw. He did not believe for one second that the other man would trust him with such damning information about the SI-7, but it was worth a shot to ask. If he had any indication what Bascomb was planning perhaps he could stop him.
"There are cracks all over the SI-7, we are a group of Rogues that deal in secrets. I can tell you that none of them are open enough for Bascomb to get his hands on them. Then none of these are large enough to take down the SI-7 in the King's estimation."
"Then he must have concocted a plot against you." Winchester fell back in his chair. "If that is the case we will not know from what direction he is coming until the first blow has landed."
"We can not allow him to strike first. The Lady Lothar is to strongly tied with the SI-7. The political shrapnel is not something she can outmaneuver in her current state." Shaw reminded Winchester. "We all know that she is his main target right now. If she becomes Queen it will make things even more difficult for him. It will be nearly impossible to remove her with out an out right assassination. Doing that even from the shadows will cause King Wyrnn no small amount of distress. Which is bad enough to the Alliance, but could almost destroy Stormwind."
"Which is exactly why I think she was removed from control of the SI-7 and replaced by myself. Bascomb is evil, but there is no way he would implicated her while she is pregnant with the King's child." Winchester stopped speaking as a contemplative look crossed his face.
Shaw knew that look. The Lord was on to something. "What is it?"
"Perhaps nothing."
"It is never nothing." Shaw pressed.
"I noticed that the Sister of Elune was abnormally fixated on the Lady Lothar when the King arrived. I know that Bascomb was the one to invite her here from Darnassus. There could be a connection that we are missing there. Then again I am sure I am just being paranoid."
Shaw shook his head, "I already have a man on the inside with Bascomb. I will question him as soon as I get an opening."
Author Note: Not as long as normal, but its something, right? So Bascomb's evil plot is taking shape. But we all know there is an army of supporters for Fox out there. The only bad part is its going to get WORSE before it gets better. And no, that baby is not safe. Another bit of news I uploaded a picture I did of Learen. You can find it at amcm74. deviantart. com