A/N Please make sure you've read chapter five, as when I checked the stats some people skipped it.
Gnarl hit grubby, causing him to fall off Quavers shoulders and the cloaked tower of minions to topple. It was the only way they could get in to Lo's room without notice. She had been at the college for six years now and Morg's and the other minions reports all came to the same conclusion : she was ready to remove Fay's influence from the netherworld, there was also a side note saying how she looked accompanied by a stain where the drool had landed. The group quickly reassembled themselves as they heard the door creak open. Morg was stood there and gave them a nod.
"She'll be back soon, she's practicing archery."
Gnarl shook his head. "The overlord should fight his enemies at close range, not hiding behind a wall of minions."
"This overlord isn't a he though. Any way would you like some tea?"
"Tea?"
"Its water with boiled leaves in it, her ladyship says it polite to offer some to guests."
"This is the problem, the overlord should be a man that drinks the blood of his enemies, not a girl that drinks boiled leaves."
"Actually, it tastes rather nice, you can add sugar."
Parcid listened to the latest argument at the bar, lately the conversations were either drunken slurs about somebody looking at another's girlfriend, why the college had been set up here, but the largest and most interesting, was the one going on in the centre. They were saying how much better Nordberg was, before some southerner had come to rule here. Suddenly there was a man stood on the table and yelling at the top of his voice.
"They say that the overlord was the greatest evil this world has known. Our city flourished under his supposed rein of darkness." The man was drunk but nobody was stopping him, in truth most people felt the same way. "Then some bloody king comes along, and now look at our city, ruled by someone who can't even walk over the ice without falling over, we should have someone who knows the land, who's born where the people live on the ice, not some fancy southern shit that thinks just because he rules he deserves our respect." Parcid gave a sigh, he was tired of this and decided to leave, but before he could he heard the man shouting again and turned around to see the man pointing at him. "See there one of them goes, I bet he'd never seen snow till he came here. Tell me southerner, what did your father do?"
"He was a lord."
"Oh, so your a noble shit. Tell me, where are you from, everlight maybe, the ruins of the empire city?"
"Here actually."
"Oh, so you think you're funny do you, where are you really from?"
"I told you."
"The last lord's brat, had his eye cut out by out noble liberators, they were so noble that they were willing to cripple a child." There was a cheer from the crowd.
Parcid brushed the fringe that went over his eye to the side, revealing the scar and the strip of linen that covered the open wound. "What, like this one?" The entire room fell silent.
"So, we are all in agreement, it will be acceptable for the new overlord to drink tea." Gnarl said, before taking another sip from the cup. It was actually surprising pleasant. The group had ended up sitting round Lo's desk, talking about what they would have to do differently considering the situation.
Quaver, who had been assigned to guard duty, stuck his head back through the door. "She's coming."
The minions quickly returned to standing on each other and Gnarl drew the hood of the cloak over his head so only the slight glow of his eyes would even give the hint of a face while Morg returned to hiding. As Lo stepped in Gnarl's jaw dropped, she looked like her mother before the overlord turned her, but better, her features were soft and gentle but there was something in her eyes that spoke of power and a natural authority. Her red hair was tied in a loose braid that rested on the shoulder of a grey fur coat that covered a flowing silk gown. She would have seemed completely harmless if not for the wolf at her side that came to her chest and let out a deep growl. "Fengir no, are you and what are you doing in my room?"
Gnarl watched as she hung the coat on the wall and her hands fell to her hips. At first Gnarl had thought she had broad shoulders but when she took the coat off he realised that it was incredibly thick due to the much thinner layer underneath, and masked her slender figure. He suppressed a pained moan as Grubby bit his leg and whispered for him to get on with it. "I'm here to talk about inheritance."
"By the gods not another one." Lo sighed. "Seriously when will you and the other lords get it into your heads that I'm not go to sell my children, my father may have traded me but I know better." She sat at her desk and started writing, her quill scratching against the paper.
"Actually, I am here to talk about your inheritance."
"Did they find my mothers broach? Baristan thinks Parcid stole it but he says stealing is wrong unless you'll die if you don't."
" I mean the inheritance from your actual parents."
Lo turned around, her air of self entitlement disappeared and her glow flared for a second. "My name, is Gnarl." He dropped the cloak to reveal himself and pulled a scroll out of his sleeve. He placed it on the desk, watching as Lo unravelled it, falling off the stack of other minions.
Lo's eyes flickered over the old paper, reading every word twice before placing it down. '"Was my mother really that fat?"
Parcid walked with Anise, holding her hand as the snow carried on falling.
"I thought you didn't want people finding out about your family?" She asked before walking with him under an overhanging roof to get out of the blizzard.
"What was I supposed do?"
"Ignore them."
He let out sigh. "I'm tired Anne, tired of people saying that I don't belong here, tired of building that house by myself."
"I've offered to help but you."
"I need to do this on my own, it was burnt to the ground and now I'm so close, just a few more weeks."
"It's always just a few more weeks, you need to take a break".
"I can't."
"Why?"
"I just can't. It links me back to this place. Do you know what I'm most tired of Anne, the snow, the cold. My father ruled here, kept his people safe, and I can't even stand to be around this frozen hell."
"Then why are you staying here, Lo doesn't need an archery teacher anymore."
"Because I when I'm in that house, I feel warm, it's the only time I feel warm."
Anise stood there for a second before her gaze shifted, to the floor. "What about when we're together?"
Parcid realised his mistake. "I didn't mean that."She started to walk off disappearing into the thick snow.
He called after her, trying to chase her through the snow but with no luck. He let a sigh and left through the main gate, walking over the black glacier to the build site. He heard the light crunch of snow behind him. "Anise is that you?" He span around to see a woman with long blonde hair wearing a red dress.
"I apologize, but we need leverage on the girl, it should be painless and you shouldn't remember it."
"No, I can't be the Overlords daughter, I mean, I'm an elf." Lo said quickly, she was still trying to get to grips with the situation."
Gnarl shook his head. "Your mother is an elf, we're not sure how the whole elf, human contaminated by a magical explosion breeding works. All we know is that the markings and the fact we feel a need to obey you makes you the next overlord."
"But I'm female, I don't have the glowing eyes or the urge to destroy all life."
"The overlord isn't about destroying, it's about conquering. The eye glow becomes more pronounced with helmet. The female thing though, that we can't explain, even before the tittle became overlord this has never happened."
"But surely that's enough, I can't be his succesor."
Morg pulled himself through the window, panting. "Fay has made her move, the loyalists son."
"What are you talking about, whose the loyalists son?"
"You call him Parcid." Gnarl said.
"What's she done to him?" Lo shouted. The minions didn't answer. "Answer me."
The instinct to obey her kick in for Morg. "He's sleeping, possibly for ever if we don't end her spell."
"Where is she?" She yelled baring her teeth and walking towards the door.
"There's a tunnel to the netherworld near by, do you remember the cave you were attacked in?" Gnarl asked. Lo nodded, grabbing her bow and moving towards a wardrobe. "We'll leave first, she cannot suspect we are working together."
As the procession of minions left Lo opened the oak door to reveal a set of leather armour with pieces of scale mail for the joints. She had practised wearing it a few times while shooting but had to have it refitted and hadn't worn it since, she just hoped it would fit properly. It was slightly to tight but it would do. Fengir followed her from the room, stalking her from the shadows.
They'd developed a strong bond, when she was told he would have to sleep outside in the stables, she had said no, and he had taken the space, her room mate should have used. He learned quickly about not doing his business indoors, and after that the relationship had grown. He got food and shelter, she got someone who was willing to take her hunting, warmth, and something better adapted to the ice than a horse.
After they were a few minuets away from town, Lo grabbed on to Fengir's shaggy mane and pulled herself onto his back. When they arrived at the sanctuary Lo looked at the black stone tunnel, the orange glow coming from the end of the tunnel reminding her of the dream she had when she was younger. The Overlord was taking back her throne.
A/N Ty for reading. Managed to get two chapters out this week as this one was meant to be chapter five but didn't fit plus the other allowed me to add a few new characters in.