Author's Note: My term paper writing spree is almost at an end, but finals are next week. I can't promise more than one or two updates during this time. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Be sure to let me know what you think!
Overkhryak: Romance begins…now. Mischief will be later.
Manakete King: Hey there, welcome to our little literary family. I'm glad you love this fic as much as I love to write it.
Spitting Faerie: Romance looms on the horizon. As for the maid thing, I meant to write Royal Hair and/or Clothing Specialists. ;)
Disclaimer: My characters are mine, Overlord is someone else's
Chapter XXXII: Curiosity Killed the Princess
"I've waited years to take my revenge," the Overlord said. "I can wait a little longer." He motioned to the minions who were milling about aimlessly. Five browns surged forward and seized the pyramid before heaving it up onto their shoulders…before disintegrating into gold-colored dust.
"It seems that the paladins haven't left their most precious artifact unprotected," Gnarl mused. "Perhaps your sword could assist in breaking their spell."
Hanson plunged his sword into the heart of the crystal, but pausing when a spider web crack emerged outwards from the sword point.
"Careful sire," Gnarl cautioned. "Rupturing the crystal could cause a cataclysmic explosion."
The Overlord withdrew the sword and instead laid his left hand on the pyramid. The crystal darkened, its white light turning red and black. Almost immediately, Hanson felt his own power increase. It was a subtle change, almost unnoticeable, but there none the less.
"It seems that the paladins' crystal has accepted you as its new master!" Gnarl exclaimed. "That means that you can now use this tower as an outpost. This second tower heart will allow you to use this tower's teleporter. Oh, and don't worry about the hearts fighting over you like jealous mistresses. They are united in their purpose: serving the Overlord."
The Overlord lifted his eyebrow slightly at the comment, but shrugged it off as one of Gnarl's typical witticisms. Hanson motioned the remaining minions to follow him to the White Tower's newly re-activated teleporter. It was time to go home.
William sat in his throne room, pondering the death of his brother, his head in his hands. "How could it have come to this?" He asked the captain of his guard.
"With respect milord," the soldier began. "It seems that the elves have begun a war with humanity. We have ceased to receive messages from our embassy in Evernight. I fear that we will receive their heads soon enough."
"This cannot go unpunished," William murmured. "Light save me, but I cannot simply ignore the death of my brother!" The paladin king sighed and put his head back in his hands weeping bitterly.
"Sire, there is a messenger from the White Tower," a steward said as he kneeled in front of his king.
"Can't it wait?" William was in no state receive more messages of any kind.
"I'm afraid he was very insistent. He said it was very urgent."
"Very well, send him in."
A paladin limped into the throne room, his armor broken and bettered, no longer white, but a dull grey. His cloak was torn in half a dozen places and he bled from several wounds along his arms. The paladin collapsed onto his knees before looking up at William.
"Sire," he gasped. "There's been an attack on the White Tower. I think that most, if not all, are dead." The paladin collapsed from his wounds and several attendants rushed over to the fallen man.
"Treat his wounds and assemble my personal guard. We are going to the White Tower," William ordered to his captain before retreating to his private quarters.
Elizabeth gazed in wonder as her father moved towards the steps to his private armory. In all her life, the princess had only seen her father this grim was when she brought news of her brother's death after his return from the Northlands.
The crown princess hesitated, and then made her decision. She rushed off to her chambers. Elizabeth threw on a simple tunic and pants and a dark cloak to hide her appearance and mask her gender. This wasn't the first time she had snuck out of the palace and she was-versed in rudimentary stealth.
The princess made her way towards the White Tower, the daylight revealed that parts of the roof had been removed forcibly with violent explosions. Elizabeth's resolve shook slightly, but she continued onwards.
It quickly became apparent that something was wrong as the princess approached the White Tower. The paved courtyard was devoid of any life besides her and the sound of her boots was the only threat to the deathly silence that had covered the plaza like a burial shroud.
Inside, there was nothing but silence and the remains of some titanic battle. Corpses lay everywhere, their blood covering the white marble walls and floors. The deathly silence persisted as Elizabeth began to climb the stairs to the top of the tower.
On the top floor, the princess was inexplicably drawn to a room that visually seemed ordinary, but something about it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. As she inched forward, Elizabeth heard the first sounds she had heard since entering the tower.
The princess peeked around the corner to see a man clad in dark and spiky armor step on what she recognized as a teleporter and vanish in a flare of blue light. Curious, she maneuvered around the corner and carefully walked towards the still-glowing circle in the floor. Every ounce of common sense she had warned her not to touch the teleporter, but Elizabeth couldn't resist. The instant her finger made contact with the stone, she felt herself being forcibly yanked forward at an incredible speed into a forbidding darkness.
The Overlord emerged from the Tower Portal and sighed. Hanson took his helmet off and placed it near the basin that was the portal before gazing around his Throne Room.
"Welcome back sire," the minion master emerged from his usual hiding place behind one of the many pillars and bowed to the Overlord. "I believe there is a certain someone who wishes to greet you personally."
"Really?" Hanson muttered, confused. "Who?" The minion master stared at his Overlord incredulously before shutting his eyes momentarily. Still a child, the wizened minion thought.
"Assira wishes to see you sire," Gnarl clarified, stroking his white beard. "I suggest you go up to the private quarters." Hanson stood as still as a statue. "Now."
The Overlord nodded and slowly began his journey upstairs. As he ascended, Hanson tried to expel the nervousness that began to eat at him. It's funny, he mused. I can wipe numerous lives from existence without blinking and yet I can't face one woman.
As he reached the door to his private quarters, the Overlord swore he heard the shadowy demon inside him laugh as softly as the wind. Hanson gulped nervously and took a deep breath before reaching for the door handle. The door opened soundlessly and the Overlord took a tentative step inside.
Assira sat in a leather armchair, reading Cooking for Evildoers: the Basic Steps to preparing Fantastic Beasts for Dinner. The candles and torches made her red hair glow in the light. Her simple black dress contrasted with the fact that she was anything but. The former thief looked at the sound of Hanson's footfalls, a smile caressing her face, her green eyes igniting at the sight of his familiar silhouette in the darkness.
"Welcome back," she said as she rose, putting the book away. "It's been a while since we last spoke.
The Overlord walked over, taking one of her warm hands between his cold metal gauntlets. "My lady," he said with a smile as he leaned towards her. Their lips met in a fiery explosion of passion as Hanson pulled Assira closer to him. The thief sighed happily when the two broke apart and snaked her arms around the Overlord's neck, placing her head on his breastplate. "I missed you," she said. "I thought you would leave me to the paladins. I was so happy when I saw Gnarl on the other side of that cell door."
"Careful of the spikes," Hanson murmured as an answer. Assira giggled quietly. "You're already prickly, and now you have armor spikes. Everything has a limit you know."
The exchange was broken by a series of shrieks coming from below. "What was that?" The Overlord asked himself as much as the woman in his arms, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Wordlessly, he reluctantly untangled himself from Assira and began to walk downstairs, the thief following.
Elizabeth emerged from the Tower Portal and spotted the helmet of the strange man she had followed resting on the marble floor.
"Who might you be?" A voice asked. The princess looked up to see an old creature in a ragged robe. The light shone on her face and the creature's glowing yellow eyes widened in surprise. "The crown princess, eh? Seize her!"
Elizabeth was immediately set upon by five creatures she recognized as minions from her father's stories. "Thi-this is the Overlord's stronghold, isn't it?" She asked.
"I always knew you were a bright one as soon as the Overlord set his eyes upon you," the creature said with a slight bow. "I am Gnarl, devoted servant of darkness. Welcome to the Overlord's Tower. I trust you will be cooperative. You are much too petty to hurt."
Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. Her father told her that the Light had been triumphant, that Evil had been wiped out. The thought of torture was more that the princess could bear. She screamed.
The Overlord strode down the stairs, the nervous young man of a few minutes earlier replaced by an entity as steely as the Arcanium armor he wore. He saw Elizabeth, her golden hair spilling out of the cloak she wore being restrained by five browns. Hanson saw her eyes upon him and realized that his helmet was on the edge the Tower Portal. He tried to turn around and retreat upstairs, but it was too late.
"Sir Ryrin?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. "Is that you?" With a sigh, Hanson descended to the floor of the Throne Room and waved the browns away as he walked to the throne.
The Overlord sat down on the smooth stone, his head resting on his right hand. Elisabeth took several tentative steps forward, relieved to see that the minions no longer seemed to be hostile.
"Is this what-what you really are?" the princess asked, her voice breaking slightly as she kept moving towards the throne. "Yes," Hanson replied. "Surprised?"
"Not really," Elizabeth admitted her demeanor changing. "I thought I felt darkness in you when I kissed you that night."
The Overlord said nothing, just raised one eyebrow in mute surprise.
"You are the one I have been waiting for!" the princess declared. "I'm so tired of waiting to be married off for politics. I want to live…to indulge myself." Elizabeth kept walking until she was right next to the Overlord. Hanson felt her hot breath in his ear as she said "I could be your Queen. Any ruler needs a right hand."
"Excuse me?" Assira had silently descended the stairs while Elizabeth was making her advances. "I believe that's my Overlord you're fawning over. Go find yourself another one, this one's taken."
"Oh look, Lord Alveren's lost daughter surfaces at last," Elizabeth said with a sneer, her eyes narrowed. "I heard rumors that you had gone…feral. Lived in the woods with thieves. It seems the rumors were wrong. How has it been, bedding the most powerful man in the world?"
Assira looked ready to murder Elizabeth on the spot, but luckily Gnarl decided to intervene. "Ladies, as entertaining as it would be to watch the two of you tear each other to shreds, it is ultimately up to the Overlord who stays and who leaves. The Tower can have only one mistress…unfortunately."
The two continued to stare daggers and all manner of sharp implements at each other. Gnarl sighed. It always comes down to this. Two strong-willed women fighting over a single man. I hope you choose wisely sire, the minion master thought.
"Sire, what is your decision?"
Author's note: Once again, I bring you more reader interactivity! Who will be the sole mistress of our Overlord? Let me know! Until next time.
As always, please make comments and suggestions! R. Overlord