Entertainment [dead]

[flippedside]

Adina tapped her fingers against the carved stone of her chair. It was thick with cushions, but the cold still seeped through the stone into her body. Her dark eyes wandered carefully about the room. Everything she did was careful; controlled. Her eyes roved over an attractive young man near the back. Adina gracefully shifted position so that she could see him better.

He was young and lean, and clearly not one of the higher houses. Hmm. Perfect opportunity. Her gaze flicked back to her husband, but he was absorbed in the mind-numbingly dull performance of the entertainers before him. Commonly referred to as Street Magic, the Emperor had suddenly developed a taste for it as entertainment. She found it gaudy and over-done. Who cared about tricks, anyway, when the priests could call up true magic?

Her eyes shifted back to the handsome courtier, her body following. She smiled to herself. It was time to have some fun. She tapped the arm of the woman sitting beside her. Her friend since she had come to court, Rina could be counted on to know the names of everyone there. If friend she could indeed be called--gossip partner was probably more accurate. When everyone was watching you to see you make the slightest mistake...to see you fall...it was impossible to truly call anyone friend.

"Who is that?" she murmured to the small auburn-haired woman beside her. She gestured loosely with her fingers, barely moving. It wouldn't do to be seen pointing. "The man in the back; young handsome."

"The blonde?" Rina asked.

"No, not him." Adina wrinkled her nose. "The one over some, back behind the fat woman. Dark hair, dark eyes. Who's he?"

Rina pursued her lips, and then let a smile touch her face. "Oh, him." She studied the man in question surreptitiously and then replied, "He's much too young for you."

Adina bit back an angry retort. Instead, she drummed her nails against her seat, gaze piercing the back of the room. Or frying. Frying though the wall, rather than through Rina's brain. "I wasn't interested in him that way. I was merely curious."

Rina snorted. "I know well how dull your Emperor-husband can be. You're much too young for him. But if you want some excitement, you ought to pick one of his Knights. Most of them are far more interesting than some son of a small house."

Adina's eyes skimmed the room, considering. Handsome was not what she would call a man marked by scars and the occasional broken nose. Not that they were dull...Rina was right, of course, about the Emperor. It was not what she had been expecting when she married him, but then again, that was over ten years ago, now.

She tilted her head unconsciously as she thought. She's been told that marriage got stale after the first few years. She thought it had been stale from before that, but hers was a marriage for politics, not love. Well, on her end it was. The Emperor claimed to love her. She respected him, but she couldn't in all honesty, say that she loved him. For that matter, she wasn't sure that she had ever truly loved a man. She liked excitement, but love?

She remembered, ages ago, one of her mother's friends once telling her that she was too selfish too love. Her lips curved in a slight smile, more mockery than amusement. Foolish old woman. What did love matter when she was the most powerful woman in the empire?

Her gaze flicked back to the man in the back. Maybe he was too young for her, but what did that matter? She could have him if she wanted...or not. Her dark eyes stole a glance at Rina. The little hussy had never given her his name. Foolish, considering that she controlled whether or not Rina rose or fell...and fell hard.

Her gaze was drawn back to the crowds, some interested, some bored. Most were quietly chatting, making an effort to better themselves and their house. Alliances and fortunes rose and fell in this room, and she was in the center of it all. She took a deep satisfied breath, and leaned back in her chair. She would have his name.

[delirium]

Tylk, Myre, and Abby wove through the crowd, watching and listening. Tylk and Myre had gotten a job from a clever captain of the guard to catch an assassin who was planning to kill the emperor and empress. They honestly didn't care about the rulers, and wouldn't mourn or celebrate if they died, but this man was paying big money to get the assassin caught, and money was always a good lure for the two clever little assassins. They had Abby in on it, and had told her by lying that they'd just overheard something in town about an assassin being hunted down and a big reward, and they'd found someone who knew a lot about the assassin and the reward and gave them some valuable information. (Part of this was true: They had heard about the job wandering around town and listening closely for any news of assassin jobs that needed to be done.)
It was almost funny. The assassins were assassinating the assassin.
They continued through the crowd, watching people. They saw a man whose eyes kept flicking towards the emperor and empress, and they could see a slight bulge at both hips and next to his ribs, which told them enough: This was their target, now all they had to do was lure him out so they could trap him.
"Sir," Said Myre, making herself look cute and helpless, "We've lost our parents, and we can't find our way out of the crowd."
Tylk picked up her cue. "Our mommy told us that if we got lost, we were to meet them at a street corner near here, but we can't see over everyone's heads to the door and we keep getting turned around and lost."
"And," Myre gulped and blinked as though she were trying not to cry, "We don't know where the street corner is." She made her lower lip quiver. The two watched the man's eyes carefully. As expected, they went softer and he said,
"Of course I'll help you." They smiled at him and each grabbed a side of his cloak, sharing the same thought:
Fool.
He began to lead the two little girls through the crowd. Abby had been keeping an eye on the two little girls, and she'd beat them to the door. She headed out first, and sprinted to the corner they had agreed to meet at. Myre and Tylk gave the assassin the street names, and he led them off, a little ways away from the party. There, he almost started to say something, but Tylk caught his arm and twisted it hard, almost breaking the bone, and Myre smashed him in the head with her little fist as hard as she could. His eyes rolled up in his head and he fell backwards, unconcious.

[delirium]

"Good work." Abby came out of the shadows towards Myre and Tylk. "Now, why don't you two head on back to the camp and I'll take him to the captain of the guard?"
"No," Tylk shook her head.
"We'll take him," Myre continued.
"You go make sure Wing hasn't killed himself," Tylk finished.
Abby shrugged and headed off, certain the girls knew what they were doing. Tylk and Myre grabbed the limp body, dragging him by his arms all the way to the place they had agreed on to meet the guy who had given them the job. There, they dropped their target at the man's feet.
"Pay up," They chorused.
"All right." The man poked the limp form with his toe. He stopped and grinned. A net came flying out of the darkness and captured the two little girls. They shrieked in unison, and their capturer laughed harshly. "You'll fetch a fine price with the guards. Two experienced assassins."

[flippedside]

Adina's man moved away through the crowd. She narrowed her eyes in irritation. Letting the man get away was not what she had intended. She waved at a passing servant. A boy came rushing up, bowing low. Adina paused, ignoring him for a moment as she glanced about the room. The Street Magicians were finishing up, and the crowd was laughing and clapping politely. A narrow frown emerged on her head. There was no way she was going to go running after some man: not the Empress of Rhyallia. Still, now might just be a convinent time to slip out while she could.

"Follow that...Oh, where'd he go?" she muttered in irritation. Rina smiled smugly and Adina was very tempted to slap her. She drummed her slender fingers against the chair. Time to get rid of Rina.

"Darling, I think I saw the Countess over there," she purred to the woman. Rina straightened and paled slightly. Oh, this ought to be amusing. "You know, I think I'd...appreciate it...if someone talked to her son...He's the priest, isn't he?" Rina nodded numbly. Lovely. "Yes, well, ask her to talk to me later, will you? I've wanting to ask her about that..." she let her voice fade out as she played with the charm against her neck.

"Your majesty, I--"

"Don't argue, Rina!" Adina snapped. "I'm requesting you to help me." Her voice sweetened to honey. They both knew it was an order, not a request. "You're dismissed."

Rina stood and bowed hurriedly to her and the emperor. The emperor barely noticed, and Adina merely nodded, letting no expression show on her face. She doubted that the Lady Rina would do as asked: rather, she would simply hurry to escape the room. All the better, then.

She focused at last on the boy. "Fetch my serving girl." She waved him away and then gave her sweetest, most wide-eyed look to the emperor.

"Darling, I'm feeling a bit faint. I think I'll go out for a bit."

"Of course," he replied cheerfully, only half paying attention to her.

Adina rose gracefully and slipped out of the hall through the side door. The guardsman at the door nodded humbly to her as she passed, though she hardly glanced at him. So far as Adina was concerned, such a man was there only for her convenience. Her dress rustling softly about her, she strode down the hall, turning a few corridors until she came to the room she wanted. Her maid was just hurrying out of the room.

"Your majesty!" exclaimed the woman, curtsying deeply. She was new, and Adina couldn't remember her name.

"Up!" she snapped. "You're late. I want my riding habit. I'm going to go out for a bit I think..." She strode by the awestruck woman into the elaborate room. Opening the dresser, she pulled out elegant riding gloves and accompanying black habit. The soft, doeskin breeches were a pale tan. Her maid helped her dress and pin up her hair, Adina's raking voice hurrying her along.

At last, the empress of all Rhyallia examined herself in a massive mirror. She patted her dark hair, checking that it would hold. "Not the best, but it will do." She strode out of the room.

Her thoughts beat out a rough staccato to the striding ring of her boots against the marble floors. She was annoyed with having to do everything herself, but servants were never fast enough and they had an annoying habit of having nervous fingers that twitched and dropped things much too often. She arrived at the stable at the same time as the captain of the guard.

"Stableboy!" she sang out imperiously, pleased with the melodious ring of her voice, while still managing to gain enough volume to call a middle aged man to her. She didn't shout. It was bad for the vocal chords and bad for appearances.

"Yes yer highness?" he mumbled, bowing low.

Adina wrinkled her nose slightly at the odor he wafted to her. The scent of horses did not bother her--possibly because she was a horse shifter herself, or perhaps because she loved the animals, and could tame the wildest of beasts. This man, however, also reeked of sweat and garlic. Where do we find these people? she thought in disgust.

"I want my bay mare saddled and ready. Quickly, I don't like to be kept waiting."

The man hurried away and Adina considered dumping a nearby watering trough over him. She decided it wouldn't help his odor. "Captain!" she called pleasantly. "You're just the man I want..."

He looked sharply at her, an odd expression crossing his face. Now what? Adina wondered, irritation wriggling alive again in her.


OOC: Hmm. Me thinks it's best not to piss off the Empress of all Rhyallia (as she likes to refer to herself). Anyway, you can have Myre and Tylk meet up with her however you want...Dragged by, whatever...Or else I'll send Adina into town on her horse, and they can meet her there. That should be an interesting meeting.

[delirium]

OOC: I say she should come across them while they're being dragged off. More like pulled, actually.

Myre and Tylk struggled against the net. They turned into martens and tried to bite through the cords. They attempted to slice through them with their wide array of knives. It was no use. The ropes were thick and strong, almost like steel. They didn't wail and cry. They weren't in the habit of doing that. Instead they studied the ropes, bumping along in the wagon they'd been loaded into. A million different plans went through their heads. They ruled some out instantly, and others earned a trial, which failed. Tylk picked absently at a loose strand of thin string that made up some of the thicker string that was twisted into the rope. It snapped after a little pulling, and an idea popped into her head.
"That's it!" She whispered as loudly as she dared. Myre looked quizically at her sister. Tylk quickly explained her plan, and the two set to work.
Tylk thought exactly the opposite way Myre would have. That was why they worked so well together. Myre always looked at the big picture, but tylk broke everything down and scrutinized the pieces. It was really quite simple.
The ropes worked rather like anything thick woven from something much, much thinner: The object as a whole is many times stronger than each piece.The rope as a whole was indestructible, but each individual strand was far from invincible. All they had to do was pull it apart strand by strand and break every strand until they could cut through it. And so they did. It would take a long time, but one thing the two little girls had in abundance was patience.

OOC: Oh, and Flippedside, if Adina passes the wagon, you have permission to make Myre and Tylk scream and wail and sob like maniacs. It's what they would do anyway.

[flippedside]

"I'm taking a ride in the city. Well, through the city. I intend to go out to the countryside," Adina informed the captain, more or less rolling right over whatever he had been about to say. She really didn't care to hear it at the moment. "I need a guard to come with me. Please organize that while my horse is saddled."

The captain opened his mouth as if to say something, thought better of it, and then saluted her, an odd expression on his face. "Of course, your majesty."

Adina coolly raised an eyebrow, then looked away. It had better be as I say, she thought in annoyance. She didn't know what pettiness he was bothered by, but it had nothing to do with her. That was why he was a captain, wasn't it? So that he could deal with issues without bothering her with them. She had more important things to think about. She tapped her riding crop against her hand.

The captain wisely returned quickly with three young, handsome soldiers. Adina allowed a slight, pleased smile to touch her lips. Ah, that was better...

"May I ask where you're going, your majesty?" the captain asked humbly.

"I have had a stressful day and am simply in need of a good ride," she replied. It was well-known that the empress was an excellent horsewoman who far outclassed most of those who lived and worked in the palace. It was also common for her to go riding about the city and nearby countryside. Of course, she normally gave more warning and traveled about with a group of courtiers and high nobles, but it wasn't the captain's place to question her.

To herself, Adina was quite willing to admit that she needed a free moment to plot. In the palace, with servants and slaves and fawning courtiers and wimpy musicians all flitting about and demanding her constant attention...It could be quite hard to think. The fresh free air and fast unrestricted movement would give her time to think...and plan. She needed that time, just now.

The horses were led out of the stable, and Adina mounted smoothly without help. She tapped the mare's sides lightly, letting her pick her way through the crowded court to the gates. The decorative iron gates were opened before her with low bows that Adina acknowledged with cool nods of the head, her eyes distant and bearing proud. She was carefully trained to maintain her cool poise at all times, and nothing fazed years of training--especially not fawning soldiers and awestruck peasants (at least, this was how she viewed them--said soldiers and peasants might have thought otherwise).

The main streets of Tannoch were paved with smooth, flat stones that were fitted nearly perfectly together, sand filling the edges. The streets were wide, though crowded, and the buildings set further apart. In other sections, the streets narrowed to ruts, the buildings half-falling over one another in their effort to reach the grimmest stroke of sunlight. But Adina did not go to those places, and so her only thoughts were on the wide avenue with the press of people. One soldier rode before her, shouting out to the people on the ground to clear the way for the empress. The other two rode on the sides, protecting her from attack.

Secretly, Adina was amused by the need for protection. She doubted she much needed it, here in the center of Tannoch. No one would be foolish enough to attack the empress here in her home city. It would be a slow death by torture...But the appearance it made, and the way the soldiers pushed the crowds apart for her pleased her, so she allowed the extra protections and precautions with no complaint.

"This is going too slowly," Adina complained to the guard on her left. "Take me by a shorter route."

He hesitated, then nodded, calling out some street names to the man in front. Accordingly, they turned off on a side street, narrower but still clean, and the horses were able to move easily down the road.

"This is much better," Adina murmured, pleased.

The young man gave an elaborate half-bow in the saddle. "However I can please your majesty."

It was foolish, but Adina allowed a slight smile to brush her mouth in acknowledgment. It was always best to keep one's servants in adoration...

Focused as she was on her own thoughts, Adina almost didn't see the cart until they were right on top of it. They came out onto a second nearly empty street, just as the cart was swiftly turning the corner. Adina jerked her mare's head to the side, causing the horse to nearly spin in place to keep from running headlong into the cart.

"Idiot!" shouted one of her guards as he jerked his horse up short. "What do you think you're doing?!" He snatched out his sword and waved it threateningly. Secretly, he hoped to impress the empress by waving his sword, though he had no actual intention of using it. He thought, at least, that it made him look more capable and impressive.

Adina turned her mare to face the cart, which had skidded to a stop. Her small group was blocking the progress of the cart into the side street, while the cart itself was effectively blocking her route out onto the second street. "How dare you!" she hissed. "You could have hurt my horse." Her eyes glared ice as she memorized the features of the man behind the single scraggly carthorse. His own horse was too ugly and pathetic to merit even a tinge of compassion from her.

Her guard spoke up again. "Bow before the empress of Rhyallia, man! And you'd better stop to ask for forgiveness for nearly running her highness down, as well." He hoped that the empress remembered his deft handling of this situation, and not the fact that he should have seen the cart and hadn't.

Adina's attention had been distracted away from the stunned cart driver, however. There was a net in the back, and if she hadn't been on horseback, she wouldn't have been able to see inside the the cart and under the net. As it was, she saw two...children? She didn't particularly care much, but she found herself curious all the same. Children were not a particular interest of hers, and she counted herself lucky that she had not yet gotten pregnant and thus ruined her figure. Having small creatures following her about and crying after her did not top her list of things she wanted to have. Despite this, she knew that she would need to stop taking the herbs that kept her from becoming pregnant soon. The emperor had to have an heir, and she was getting older (much as she hated to admit it). All this was unrelated to the strange appearance of nearly identical children sitting beneath a heavy net of tough rope.

Slaves? she wondered idly.


Eh...I think I needed the small size that time just to keep it all on one page...Can't believe I wrote that much.

[delirium]

OOC: So long.... I feel inferior now.

Myre stopped attacking the rope net as she heard voices. Someone shouting at the cart driver.... The mention of the empress! They stopped, and Myre seized the chance, breaking out into a loud wail and false tears. Tylk followed her sister's example in less than seconds.
"Let us go!" Cried Myre.
"Please, sir! We didn't mean to do anything!" Tylk kept the ruse of desperate fear.
"We were lost!" Myre picked up her cue.
"We didn't know!" Tylk's voice rose a few pitches.
"Let us go!" They finished in unison and started pseudo-pathetic sobs. But they were effective liars and soon they each almost believed the other was really crying. In their minds, however, they were both thinking what sad little fools the people would be if they believed the tears and wails. All they needed was to be rescued, was for someone (probably the Empress) to arrest the man, order him to let them go. But for now, they would cry their little hearts out (or so seemed their facade) until they were either out of the net or out of help's range.

[flippedside]

Adina frowned as the two children started to wail. She was neither impressed by tears, nor particularly moved by them. Certainly, she'd seen enough supplicants wailing before the throne. Waste.

"What is this?" she demanded. Then immediately turned to the two girls in the wagon. "Oh, hush, already. I haven't time for your wails, and anyway, they're giving me a headache." Not necessarily true, but the children didn't need to know that. She just wanted them to shut up. And anyway, she was listening to their pathetic wailing. Sort of.

The wagoneer was talking about escaped slaves. "...And I was just bringing them back to their master."

Adina paused to peer into the wagon, pursing her lips slightly. Strange looking children, she thought. Their skin was too pale and smooth to be natural. Did they know something about magic? she wondered vaguely. Certainly, she wouldn't mind learning that trick. Her skin was already starting to show the faintest signs of age, despite her collection of herbs and creams. Hmm. Adina wondered if she could put these two to work. But then again, maybe not. They were only children, and what did children know? Still someone ought to know...

"Who is their master?" she demanded.

"Oh, er..."

"Well?" she looked sharply up when he didn't answer immediately.

"A rich man named, um, Poltath. Yes, that's it." He seemed to be changing strange colors. Red, white. Pink.

"You wouldn't be lying to me, would you?" asked Adina coldly.

"No of course not, your highness!"

Pathetic liar. She had been able to lie since childhood without anyone knowing the difference. She paused again to look over the man. A soldier clearly...For who? She neither liked nor trusted the man.

"Little girls," Adina said, her cool voice unintentionally making the words something of a put down, "who is this man and where is he taking you?" She had no doubt that she would read the lies if the girls did indeed try to lie. But curiosity had sparked in her and now she wanted to know the truth.

"Wait! No, please your highness. I'm afraid I don't know the actual name of the man who owns these girls--he didn't give it--but I do know that they are slaves and--"

Adina gave him a sharp wave without ever looking up. "Shut up. It's clear you're a liar. I want to know what you are trying to hide from me." She looked at the two girls in the wagon and raised her eyebrows expectantly.


OOC: Adina reminds me of Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada." *evil grin*

[delirium]

Myre and Tylk sniffled pathetically.
"W-we don't know, Y-your Highness. He just...." Myre started to blink frantically, as though trying to hold back tears. Tylk made her lip quiver.
Given, the driver was a horrible liar, but the Empress could see through it so easily. They realized that. And they put a little real emotion into their cover.

OOC: My muse is like...... Being held hostage or something. And yeah, I know I said it would be wise to listen and not come on anymore, but since when have I done the wise thing?

[flippedside]

OOC: I'm exhausted, so don't expect too much from this post...

Adina tilted her head consideringly. Her horse shifted and stamped, snorting with nervous energy. She settled deeper in the saddle, riding out the movement without comment. "Just what?" she demanded impatiently. "Finish your sentences, I can't understand you otherwise." And stop sniveling, she added silently. All those tears...It ruined one's looks.

The man driving the cart shifted forward unhappily, but one of her guards was already there, pointing a sword at him. The message was clear: Stay Back. The driver shifted back, but not before trying again. "Your highness, I was sent to collect these girls for a very rich man--"

Adina turned slowly towards him, gaze flat. "Did you not understand me the first time when I told you to shut up?" She flicked her head at the three soldiers. "Guards."

They knew their duty. It took only a moment for her three soldiers to grab the man and bind his arms. He was babbling nonsense about dangers and a rich patron...Whatever. The truth would be quickly ascertained--after he'd spent a night in the dungeon. In the meantime...

"Now if you'll stop crying, tell me what has happened here. Start at the beginning, and do try to make an effort to complete your sentences." Adina said the last with a tone of long-suffering, as if expecting to be disappointed in this.

[delirium]

OOC: I'm surprised- Myre and Tylk are going to tell the truth.

Myre swiped the sleeve of her pretty party dress across her face. She knew it looked childish and stupid, but that was her goal.
Tylk started, "W-well, Your Highness, we were at th-the party at y-your palace, and our sister was there with us. We were told to meet up at a street corner nearby if we got seperated." She stopped, and her sister picked up.
"After a while, we couldn't see our sister anymore, so we asked a nice man if he could lead us to our meeting place, because it was dark and we were scared." Myre paused, leaving the story for her sister to continue. She looked at the empress, making her face fearful and pathetic.
"H-he took us, and then he left. We waited for a while, and we thought we might have gotten the wrong street, because our sister should have been there." Tylk was more quavery and weepy than her sister.
"We wandered around a bit, and we thought we saw our sister, so we went over there. But then he," Myre pointed to their kidnapper, "Caught us in this net and put us in here, saying something about the slave market."
Tylk bit her lip as though she were afraid to cry. "We're scared. Our sister is probably worried sick." They both stared imploringly at the Empress, waiting for any sign of compassion.

OOC: Wow. Adina is..... Heartless. They're just scared little children!! (Or so they lie......)

[flippedside]

OOC: Adina is heartless, isn't she? It's hilarious (in a horrible way). I have to say, I'm enjoying RPing her waaay too much. For all that, I have, unfortunately, very little muse today. (I think I left it with my brain--back in bed).


"At the party?" Adina raised her eyebrows, seeing the girls in an entirely new light. "Well, then, you must be the children of nobility! Who are your parents, girls?" This last was said with much perkiness and friendliness lighting her face. If they were nobles, and not just some slum children...Well, that changed everything.

Her guards had made short work of trussing up the unfortunate cart driver. They waited on her, so that they could take him back to the palace dungeons. He'd be questioned much more thoroughly there. Though Adina paid little thought to the man, she was maliciously pleased to see that he was looking slightly pale. Good. Everyone ought to fear her--she was the most powerful woman in Rhyallia.

"Put him in the cart. In the back," she added with vicious glee. "And take these children out from that hideous net." She was already pondering the many uses that the two girls could put to--she assumed that they would be deeply grateful to her for rescuing them and saving them from slavery. So would their parents, for that matter. Having them in her debt would make them so much more useful. Adina let a smile gracefully curve her full lips. The day was going...Well, better than planned. She didn't pause to think that in her own way she intended to make the girls and their family slaves to her own wishes and goodwill.

Two of her soldiers jumped lightly off their horses and swiftly undid the net from the girls, helping them out of the cart and onto the ground. The empress' bay mare shifted restlessly with all the activity going on around her. Adina moved her horse back. Somehow, these children would need to be taken back to the palace...

"I suppose you girls can ride?" Not everyone could, but it was common among the nobility. "You and you," she said, gesturing to her two guards on the ground, "put them up on your horses with you."

Her soldiers bowed, not daring to show their own irritation--and humiliation--at having children ride with them.

[delirium]

OOC: Uh-oh! Tylk and Myre are in quite a pickle now, aren't they?

They mounted up, almost smiling with the obviousness of the soldiers' irritation. Myre paused only a second, figuring out what to say. The truth would fit this situation quite nicely. "Well, Your Highness, our parents.... Died recently. Our older sister and little brother are our only surviving relatives."
Tylk fabricated to cover their poverty, "It turns out our father was quite a gambler, and was in great debt. He was planning to pay it off, but never got a chance. Our older sister, Abby, had to sell off all our estate to pay it off, and it was barely enough."
Myre realized the hole first. Surely the Empress would have known a noble from this city! "We just arrived here. Our father was one of the lesser nobles in Tamamack, so we wouldn't expect you to know him. We thought perhaps we might be able to regain our fortune here in Tannoch, and Abby went to the ball to meet other nobles in the city." The two small girls spoke as they rode, and prayed vehemently for their lie to pass.

OOC: Oh, dear, I wonder what Adina has planned for them. Slavery? Exile?*gasp*
possibly kindness?!?!?!? I hope I got Tamamack right. I couldn't quite read it.

[flippedside]

"Your parents are dead?" Adina repeated. She was deeply disappointed. She wouldn't be getting anything truly useful from these two children. Still...Maybe she could at least use the children themselves for something...They ought to be grateful for their rescue, at least. They didn't seem too stupid, so surely they'd recognize her kindness and selflessness in helping them. And hopefully, they'd feel grateful enough to be indebted...Still, you never knew what to expect from children. They tended to do the unexpected.

Her horse clopped steadily down the cobbled street, the rap of hooves echoing against the surrounding walls. "Well, that's too bad," Adina continued, following her original train of thought. "I think I'd like to meet this sister of yours...Abby, did you say? And what was your father's name again?" She was certain she wouldn't recognize it (who could keep track of all the lesser houses?), but she might recognize the holding...Then again, probably not. "I might not know much about Tamarack personally, but I'm sure there's someone at court who lives near there."

Now if this Abby was someone older and intelligent, she would certainly feel indebted to the empress. How to use that to her advantage? She didn't mingle with the lower houses much, but it was useful to have something to remind people of--or else hold over their head. A strange sense of pleasure tingled down her spine. Blackmail was such a wonderful thing.

Her soldiers led her back out to the main avenue, the cart clanking along behind them. Adina tilted her head back, ignoring the masses that crawled around her horse's feet. She was busy mulling over her options, and so didn't notice the two strangers who shifted about to watch the procession and then slipped into the crowd to follow after.

"That's the man you sent after them?" growled the taller of the two, his body lean but tough. He was wrapped within a black cloak like a monk, his face hidden in the darkness.

"He didn't exactly have a hard job. Besides, we'd have been recognized."

"But not noticed!" anger laced his voice. They took a side street and jogged down it to get ahead of the empress' procession. "How do you want to take this? Do we ambush them and risk everything, or let the kids go?"

The shorter man, tough and solid with dark hair, grunted. "You're in town one day and already flipping everything on its head."

"That's what I do best." Jarad grinned. He ducked around a corner and slowed, studying the street behind them. "Here comes the empress herself," he murmured, eyes darkening with hate. "How I'd love to strangle her..."

"Easy, man." Jarad's companion joined him and laid his hand on his shoulder. "Time for that later."

Jarad grunted and shrugged. "Never mind, I don't need the publicity. Out of scrape and into another...Well, Rhun, are we getting the kids?"

"Absolutely." Rhun rubbed his hands together and then cracked them, a smile splitting his rather ugly face. "What's the plan?"

Jarad shrugged. "I cause a diversion and you drag off the girls. Easy?"

Rhun nodded. "And leave the empress alone, Jarad," his voice growing serious. Neither of them would leave an attack on the empress alive.

Jarad merely shrugged and started forward. The procession was already nearing them.

"Jarad!" Rhun huffed in frustration. He'd forgotten how crazy his old companion could be. It was hard to say if he'd listen to reason or not...

Jarad wandered down the street and then casually drew his sword and with two smashes broke down a cart, fruit spilling across the street. The cart driver turned on him.

"Hey!"

Jarad grinned and saluted with his sword. "Fight, old man? I'm ready for you!" He staggered drunkenly, knocking over several people in the process. The street crowded with people, mixing angry shouts with gleeful calls for a fight. Jarad roared and laughed drunkenly, faking a charge at the cart driver. The driver responded with shouts and curses, while simultaneously ducking behind the overturned cart to escape Jarad's wildly waving sword.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jarad caught sight of the empress attempting to calm a wildly stomping and snorting deep bay horse, while her guards attempted to force the crowd aside while still trying to surround her. He hoped Rhun was successful in grabbing the girls, but it was hard to tell what was happening beyond the milling crowds.


OOC: I got bored, so I thought I'd add in some more action. Myre and Tylk can have some fun with this, I think.