For the Queen

OOC: This thread is closed for Myself and Rayne_Clowd.

IC:

The sound of metal on metal was the only sound one could hear as the two fighters tried to best the other in a fight to the death. Dodging, parrying and blocking the blows sent at one another, their weapons were but mere flashes at times. Each one coming closer and closing to ending the elegant dance they were locked in. But like the elegance of a ball room dance, there was one who would lead and one who would follow.

"Do you intend to keep up this feeble rebellion of the Queen's for much longer...." One spoke as the two stood a short distance apart now, a momentary brake in the waltz that had been going on. "We have solid proof that the Queen is the one who plans to overthrow the Order and take control for herself!" He said, his sword still pointed at the other man across from him, ready to counter any attack he might make.

"Are you blind Hector?! This is a set up to blame the Queen and let duke Erick take control of kingdom!" The other replied, He too was on his guard for a attack. He watched for any sign of movement, to try to predict what type of attack was to come.

Hector laughed and changed his stance. "A foolish attempt to beg for your life! I won't have it!" And with that he attacked, this attack was going to end the battle, one would stand and one would fall.
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6 Hours ago:

The 20th anniversary of the end of the Kingdom War. The war had raged for over 100 years, and every kingdom of every race had been involved in it. But that all ended when the Key of Destiny had been destroyed and the dark power it held disappeared from the world. Since then all sides have been rebuilding from the war that would be remembered in all of history.

Jeuno one of the few remaining floating cities in the world. It's beautiful castle sat in the center of the main floating island, while many smaller ones floating near it that held many of the farms and homes of the city's people. The city had been rooted with both magic and technology. It's main trade were that of airships.

The large magic crystal that held the island in the air could be seen from below the city ran all the way through and was part of the central castle. It also provided power to the island. the Blue-ish crystal had been repaired since the way, the cracks and dents in it now fixed and the site of the once whole crystal was a stunning sight to see. It gave the people hope again, a hope that would last for years to come.

Many airships filled the ports as people from many different kingdoms came for the festival to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the end of the war. One such ship was coming from one of the smaller islands of Jeuno carrying visitors to the festival. Shortly after the small ship docked and people started to get off.

A young man paused to look around from the catwalk overlooking the rest of the port area. He was a knight for the Queen, part of her royal guard. He watched for a moment before following the rest of the people towards the main gate to the city.

He would have been home for a short brake while the festival in the city was going on. But he had been called in on short notice by the Queen's order and was now reporting to the castle. As he walked through the main gate he watched the Knights at the gate house greet people, waving to a friend on duty as he walked past.

The city streets were packed with people, human, elves, orcs, and even a pack of amazon woman had stopped by. The bright colored flags all over the place and the many smells of all the good food filled the air.

It took longer then normal to get from the main gate to the castle. He started to make his way inside when a Knight in red and gold armor stopped him. "Halt.. This area is off limits to civilians" She told him. He smiled at her and replied. "I'm Iczer of the Red Rose Knights... I've been summoned by the Queen." He told the woman. "One moment please.." She told him.

After a short moment she nodded to him and let him pass. He sighed and made his way to the changing rooms, He couldn't show up to see the Queen in these rags. As he walked the halls he noted how quiet it was, he thought it must be because so many knights were out keep the peace at the festival and put that line of thinking out of his head.

After arriving at the changing room he went to his locker where his armor was kept. Normally he'd wear the normal grey-ish blue armor most knights used, but today was special and he would wear the ceremonial armor. Normally this was just a color difference and with out a helmet, but the royal guards had special ceremonial armor. This armor tended to be heavily infused with magic. Giving the user the ability to protect others with a magic field they could extend out. The armor for the Jeuno guard was infused with both strong protective magic and technology. The armor was lighter, yet used stronger metals then the normal armor. All in all the armor was meant to give the illusion of being less protected then normal to throw off the attackers.

After he changed into the red and gold armor he shut his locker and almost fell over as the captain of the Red Rose Knights stood right there. Her ceremonial armor was different from the others as well, it had a full helmet like normal armors did. So no one but the Queen had seen her face. "Ah.. Captain... Don't sneak up on me like that.." He said as he regained his balance. "So you got called in as well huh? I guess it's got to be important for the Queen to call us both in.." He smiled at her and motioned for her to lead the way to see the Queen.

"So it is true?", her eyes blazed and met the informants. But she simply dismissed him with a wave of her hand, she did not need the answer to confirm it. She had to much to consider to be polite and this matter needed her full attention....after all it was her very life and more importantly Jeuno that was at stake.

She had expected this day would come, she had only hoped that it would have been much later in getting here. The kingdom was still very weak, rebuilding but weak. It may be 20 long years since the "Kingdom War" had ended but after a 100 years of raging and with every known kingdom fighting just as hard and desperately as the next.......every kingdom left had huge causalities that could not be counted and economies to re build from the ground up.

Jeuno was one of the very few lucky cities, not only beautiful but it had a large airship building industry to base its foundations on. And this industry fueled others within the city from industries that supplied the materials that were needed to build them to the exporting of goods using the airships. This had helped Jeuno to start to rebuild and recover, but now it very well may fall again.

Queen Natembia paced by a window, from her castle she could see down to the city below and the despair of the situation filled her. The Annual festivities were beginning to take over the people were full of joy, colour music and smiles every where she looked.....Natembia shook her head with a sigh, she simply did not have a choice she would have to leave the city to protect its future.

The threat to the future of Jeuno and to the Queen were coming from Duke Erick, she was sure of this. Her informants had uncovered plans to frame her and to dispose of her any way they can.......So that Duke Erick could step in and take control. Over her dead body was her final thought as she summoned for the Captain of the Red Rose Knights and she gave orders for the Captain to bring her most trusted, loyal and skilled Knight.

As the Captain lead the way to see the Queen he thought about how empty it was, he hadn't even seen a servant or anyone yet. The guard at the front had been the only other person other then the captain that he'd seen and it was bugging him. His training told him this wasn't right but yet he didn't do anything about it.

The walk didn't take very long from the changing rooms to the Queen's chambers and with no one around there were no delays. The Captain knocked on the door once they arrived at the Queen's room.

The Queen was the one to open the door and both knights entered. "somethings not right here... Where are the Queen's servants? Why is she opening the door?" He stepped in behind the captain and the Queen and then stood waiting to hear why he and the captain had been summoned.

Queen Natembia opened the door to her private chambers, Allowing the Captain of the Rose Knights entrance and the knight she in turn had selected. Natembia had already dismissed all the service staff and sent the guards to better protect the castle, and to allow her the privacy she was going to need.

"Come in Captain" Natembia's veiled face was customary, but the Knight could see her measuring his worth and the Captains choice, "I have to ask you Captain before I explain this dire situation further, is this the Knight you believe 100% will not betray me? No mater what I ask of him, so long as it is for the good of Jeuno and its people, will he stand against the Order?" The Queen asked as she closed her chamber door behind them.

The Captain did not miss a beat she was sure she had chosen well "He is my most loyal and trusted knight your highness, he is also one of my most talented. I believe his loyalty but perhaps that is a question he should answer for it will be his final choice to stay or to go" She bowed to the Queen and stepped a back to allow the Knight to move forward.

The Queen sat down in a cushioned chair the pressure making her wary. Queen Natembia eyed the Knight his answer would count more then any other thing he could say to her.............. "Very well, Knight what do you have to say to this?"

Iczer looked at the two women for a moment before the captain stepped back and let the Queen address him. "I mean no disrespect my lady, But isn't the Order or rather the order of shadows been disbanded since the end of the Kingdom war?" He asked.

"The Order of shadows, said to have had a hand in the start of the war and knew more about the Key of Destiny then anyone else. They were the ones who wanted the Key more then anyway, and used many of the other kingdoms in trying to find and obtain the artifact." He paused a moment to recall more about the shadowy group. "They were said to have been the ones who called forth the demons that now wander the world, and may have been the cause of the curse of the undead in many parts of the world.." He knew the Queen must have known it but thought it might help to hear it again.

"I have sworn my life to protect you my lady, know that what ever it is you have me do, I will carry that order out even if it means my life." Iczer looked to the Queen and gave her a worried look and asked. "Has the Order returned to start another war?"

Queen Natembia listened to Iczer's words, and she was confident he would not betray her or the kingdom. "Please be seated...I fear this will not be a pleasant news" She gestured for the Captain and Iczer to sit on chairs just to her left.

She stood from her chair and began to pace as she outlined how the informers she had keeping there eye on the kingdoms surrounding Jeuno listening for anything that might be threatening. Unfortunately they had came to her this very day and brought news of The Order rising again, with the strong urgings of Duke Erick ...."He plans to frame me for the death of The King, as you know he was taken from us last winter. But The Duke plans to plant seeds of doubt and some false evidence to say it was me who murdered him. Simply so that he can take over Jeuno, I wish I could say that I am the only casualty but I also know that in his attempts to over throw me he is going to wage war on the Rose Knights, he plans to kill you all so that no one can challenge his accusations."

She did not pause in her delivery of this news, because if she did she feared she may not be strong enough to continue. "So you see, I need to form a plan to protect our kingdom, the Rose Knights any chance Jeuno has to be free of The Order" she looked to the Captain and to Iczer "and I need your help."

Many things crossed his mind as the Queen spoke of what was happening. "Why would the duke be involved with the Order of Shadows? Why would he try to frame the Queen for the death of the King who passed away 2 seasons ago?! This might mean a all out war amongst the Kingdoms again... Was another war about to start?"

"Do we know when the Duke will make his move? Or how he plans to do so with out the royal guard knowing about it?" Iczer asked. He had many other questions but for now this would have to do. He also had a bad feeling like he was forgetting something but it was most likely just his own uneasiness with what the Queen had said.

He knew the Red Rose Knights alone were not enough to stop any sizeable force, they were the Queen's personal guard, and although highly trained if the Order of shadows had returned then they would need more then just the Red Rose Knights. As he waited for the Queen's answer he thought more about what to do about this all. He couldn't turn to many people, but maybe there was someone he could seek help from. Only time would tell.

Queen Natembia

"Do we know when the Duke will make his move? Or how he plans to do so with out the royal guard knowing about it?" Iczer asked. The Queen looked him the seriousness clearly shown on her face.

"My Intel could not gather the exact timing of the Dukes plans, two men where killed retrieving what we now know, so I can only assume the Duke will strike soon as he would now guess me to be armed with a hunch if nothing else that he is up to something" she shakes her head "And he would not want me to have even that."

Natembia glanced from the Captain and then to Iczer her face showing great concern, "I do not believe he will be acting without the knowledge of all the Rose Knights, I believe some to be working with him and those that are not........he plans to kill them along with me."

She made her way back to her chair and sat down " I only know he plans to frame me, and to then kill me. Using the accusations of my treason to the King to justify my death and those of the knights that follow me and remain loyal."

She sighed and then looked to the Captain and then to Izcer "I feel that to save the most lives, I should issue some type of stand down of the rose knights....there is no way to tell how many are in allegiance with the Duke and it could be bloodshed that spills onto the people of Jeuno because surly that is what will happen if there is some war within the city...not matter how small"

Natembia did not really know what to do it all felt hopeless, if she fought it could spell the end of Jeuno if she orders a stand down it could be the end of Jeuno as the duke will have no opposition and she will surly die......."I need you both to help me to save Jeuno"

Before Iczer had time to speak the castle around them shook. "What the?!" Iczer replied and looked out the window as a 2nd quack shook the room. Iczer rushed to the window and looked out over the city to see 3 airships moved towards the castle, one of which was firing on them.

"I think the duke has played his hand.." He said and turned to look back at the Queen and captain. "I think we're in trouble......" He said and pointed out the window.

Outside began to attack the castle, cannons opening fire and starting to wear down the magic shield that protected the central crystal that kept the island floating. The ships were not made in Jeuno, but were painted in the Red Rose Knights colors, their emblems painted clear on the side.

"We need to get the Queen out of here... I'm worried that our normal escape plans won't work.... Ideas?" Iczer asked, the room shaking again from another blast from the airships.

Natembia grabbed the arms of her chair and gasped in shock as the room shook. Her eyes flew to the window following the Knights movements "what in all Jeuno is it?" she demanded but her gut sinking before she even had the answer......it was time.

She had no idea what to do Natembia glanced around as if some how her room had the answer but, sadly it did not. Her eyes flew to the Captains and to the knights, " How?"

Panic in the streets started as soon as the first shot was fired, knights around the kingdom rushed towards the castle, but soon the airships opened fire on them as well. The City near the shots burst aflame as the cannons started targeting other buildings.

Iczer and the Captain's head spun as they heard the loud foot steps of armored knights making the way up the hall outside the Queen's room. "Damn their quick..." he said and after that the door itself burned down to ash and knights in black armor rushed through the door. "By order of the Duke we're here to place the queen under arrest!" One said.

"No need... kill her now.." A knight wearing black and purple armor said as he walked through the door, his sword draw and ready to attack at a moment. "By orders of the Duke the Queen is to be executed for murder and the uncalled for attack on the festival! The Red Rose Knights are to be killed on site for supporting the Queen's plans to over throw Jeuno and the alliance kingdoms!" He added and rushed Iczer.

Only able to block with the attack with his forearms he was lucky the ceremonial he was wearing was a step above normal armor. The magic shield glowed as it blocked the steel blade of the black and purple armored knight's sword. With aquick glance to the captain and a understanding return glance he kicked the black and purple armored knight away and then a flash of light and the Queen and the two red rose knights were gone.

"DAMNIT! Find them!" The man in the black and purple armored yelled as the black knights started to look about the room.

The teleport spell put the 3 of them in a special room. Iczer looked around and sighed. We have to leave this place soon... Any ideas Captain?" He asked, checking the armor to see if any damage had been dealt past the magic shield.

Natembia was in shock she watch Jeuno burst into flames, she was horrified but could not look away and could not respond. She knew the duke was plotting an attack but she had not expected this and she had not expected it so soon.

She turned as the door to her chamber burst open and knights wearing black and purple rushed in demanding her arrest........her murder. Her eyes wide Natembia had not even formed a response it was choking in her throat when next she was standing in a room with Izer and the Captain of the Rose knights "What on earth?" she glanced around uncertain what to do. She heard Izer's question and prayed the Captain had an idea .....Natembia was beginning to think it might be best to turn herself over to the mercy of the Duke, maybe he would spare Jeuno. "Maybe I should just surrender myself to the Duke, maybe he will spare some blood shed if I do?"

"I think not my dear.. You see it's too late for Jeuno... For you.. For this forsaken world...." A father fat man stepped into the light from the magic orb above the Queen and her knights, and Iczer made the firs move, drawing his sword in the blink of a eye and thrusting it through the man's heart, only to pass through him like a ghost.

"Foolish scum... I know the Queen had a safe room but I'm afrain I was unable to find it before the guards I sent moved in... This is simply a message, sent to you along the magic trail from the castle... And although I can not track it rest assured your time will come... He said eying Iczer as he stood, and then turned back to the Queen.

Iczer stood and sheathed his sword before turning to look at the man. "You won't get away with this Duke..." He told him, wanting nothing more then to cut the mans head from where it sat.

He rolled his eyes."If you give yourself up I will make your death as painless as I can.." He told Natembia. He smiled at her and offered his hand to her. "Just take my hand and you will be teleported back here and we can end this before more blood is shed over this meaningless conflict..."

"You will have to get through us first if you want the Queen Duke..." Iczer said, wishing to strike at him, tempted to take his hand and kill him where he stood. But he knew better, the real Duke might not even be on the other end of the spell. The only reason he was here now was because he could not be harmed, Iczer doubted the real Duke would ever put himself in harms way if there was any way to avoid it.

"I see... Well then... It's only a matter of time before we find you my lady... I rather wanted to take you as my fuck toy..." He laughed, belly rolling as he did so. The of the Duke stopped laughing and simply smiled at the Queen as it faded away.

Iczer turned to look at the Queen and then turned his gaze to the captain. "We need to leave Jeuno as soon as we can... The quickest way would be by airship... But that won't be easy to do..." Iczer glanced at the Queen a moment while thinking. "But any other way and they would most likely catch up to us before we could make it too far... What do you think Captain?"

Natembia was weak with fear her legs thought of collapsing but she refused to show that to the Duke....even if it was his hologram. Her mind ran through a thousand different thoughts trying to find away out of this........nothing seemed possible.

"Do you have a plan?" she looked to Iczer and the Captain. She listened to Izcer comment on airships and she agreed he was right but going as she was would draw unwanted attention. She looked over the captain they were about the same size...

"Captain..do you have civilian clothes I could wear...maybe we could sneak out un noticed as normal civilians of Jeuno, no one has seen my face for years nor have they seen me in civilian clothes...perhaps if we change it will ease some of the heat following us and with all the chaos the duke just caused we may slip through?" The Queen looked to Iczer and the Captain to confirm her idea as a good one or at least plausible.

"I mean no disrespect milady, but we couldn't leave on any of the royal airships... BUT they know what me and the captain look like... And I do not feel safe about you being alone anywhere right now milady.." Iczer thought about it for a moment and turned to the captain.

"The duke knows we need to escape and also knows what he thinks we will do. As we have seen by that message a moment ago..." He turned away and thought again before turning back to the Queen and the captain. "We should take the airship dock and take leave of the city by the Queen's personal airship."

"He knows we will try to sneak out of the city, it'd be the safest way to get the Queen out of Jeuno.. I'm sure he will stop every woman and use a tracing spell on them... We need to escape and do it quickly." He knew the Queen's idea was good, but knew it had it ricks regardless, if they were going to risk her life they needed to know it would be for the best.

Natembia was not offended in the least, she was grateful she was scared to death. Right now would take guidance and help no matter who it came from, if she thought she could trust it.

Her head was spinning it was all so overwhelming, she never thought she would have to rule, she had married into the kingdom. The King had chosen her as his bride and from birth she had been trained to be a pretty decoration with graceful actions and impeccable manners.........all now useless.

No one ever thought to teach her how to run her country or how to save her own life. The king had been older and colder then her, he could had no issue causing the death of many to save his own hide....he was never a gentle man or sentimental she had been his and that was all there was to it as far as he was concerned she was his accessory. Like a child not to speak unless spoken to and not to act out and seek attention. Natembia sighed and shivered remembering the cold days of her marriage, part of her was relieved he was dead...although there is no way she would have ever done anything to cause it.

She looked to the Knight and then Captain "I will do as you think is best."

"Captain... Take the Queen and make for the docks.. I will go cause some trouble and see if I can find out any more about what is going on." He said and stepped off to the side of the small dark room, a blue circle appeared beneath him with a weird lines inside of it all connected to a circle with in the circle. In a flash he was gone leaving the Queen and the Captain of her royal guard.

"Mistress..." She spoke for the first time in such a long time, braking the promise she made when she joined. She sounded so much like the Queen it was scary. "We will wait here for a short time before we move to the airship docks.." The captain started to remove her armor in front of her, setting it at her feet. "Change into my armor for now, it will protect you some while we move."

After setting her full armor on the ground leaving her in only her panties with the Red Rose Knight emblem on them she moved to a area just outside of the magic light in the center of the room, and much like Iczer before her a circle appeared under her, this time white instead of blue. In a flash much like before she disappeared for a moment but unlike Iczer before her, she return, this time in a set of armor much different then before, this one was the done up in white and had the royal house's emblem on it, a full mask/helmet and shield and sword. It gave off a almost holy glow to it as she stepped towards the Queen.

She turned her back to the Queen so she might change into the armor she had set down. Knowing this may or may not be a good idea, but if the duke was trying to kill her, she might be safer this way.

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Iczer made his way out of the secret exit point from the Queen's safety room and up the stairs to the ground floor. It still didn't sit right, why was the palace so quiet, no servants, no guards, no nothing. It was almost as if the place was a ghost town.

After rounded a corner he almost ran right into another knight, and like his training told him his hand was on his sword before either knew who the other ways. "Hector!?" Iczer asked, looking up.

"Iczer!? What's going on, I've return as soon as the bombing started.. What's going on?" The other knight asked, once head of the King's personal guard, not just a captain in the knight corps for the kingdom.

"I don't know my friend, but the Duke Erick is trying to overthrow the Queen.." Iczer replied, taking his hand off his sword and shaking hands with his fellow knight. "The Queen is safe for now, but we're trying to get her out before the duke finds her." He then said, and both men made for the barracks.

"But why?" Hector asked as they walked. Hector didn't take the lack of people as more then the whole city had been one big party up until a short time ago.

Iczer still uneasy with the lack of people around them. "I don't know, But he's being backed by the Order of shadows." Iczer told him.

"The Order of shadows?! Didn't they disband at the end of the Kingdom war?!" Hector asked, sounded more and more worried as the closed in on the barracks.

"So we thought... But their back and up to something, and Jeuno is probably not the only city to be hit.." Iczer guess, knowing the stories from the war about them. "Where is everyone anyway? Shouldn't their be a minimal guard squad on hand here at the castle?" He asked.

"Most were given the day off for the festival... My own unit was told not to come in today." He replied and seemed to be adding things up. "So this was all to get to the Queen?"

Iczer nodded, as they rounded another corner on their way, glancing out the window and knowing the Queen wouldn't like to see the city on fire, the airships still bombing the streets. "Any idea who those airships belong to?"

Hector stopped and looked out and then shook his head as he dashed to catch up with Iczer. "No clue, but they look like some of ours.." He said with a worried tone.

"Yeah I know it's got me worried too, I'm not sure if we can trust many people. Even among the other officers." He said, they had made it to the barracks and the two slipped inside, no one to be found.

"Well... I guess no one is here.." Hector said after looking around and returning to the main door that lead into the castle. He looked at Iczer worry all over his face. "We can't take out those airships by our selfs.."

"We also need to get the Queen out of the castle." Iczer added, taking a moment to think, as another blast rocked the castle. Knowing soon the airships would turn from the burnt city to the castle itself.

"Mistress..." The Captain spoke for the first time in such a long time, braking the promise she made when she joined. She sounded so much like Natembia it was a little scary. But not unknown to Natembia, it had been part of the protection set in place by her late husband, The King.....something she now knew she should have thanked him for. "We will wait here for a short time before we move to the airship docks.." The captain started to remove her armor, setting it at her feet. "Change into my armor for now, it will protect you some while we move."

Natembia did not argue or hesitate, she simply stripped from her ceremonial robes and even removed the head dress that had always been in place when anyone was around. She was use to being undressed and dressed by others so having the Captain present didn't bother her. Natembia had trouble with a few of the armor pieces but The Captain helped her put them in place correctly. "Thank you" Natembia said with a smile as the last piece was put in place, she looked down and chuckled softly. She didn't know why but it amused her to be wearing something so different to her pampered gowns of silk.

Natembia looked to the Captain "Now what?" she was getting nervous about being in the room that The Duke now knew of or at least had a link to or he wouldn't have sent his projection here. "Do you think we will make it Captain?" she asked in a soft voice, giving herself permission to feel a moment of fear for herself and not just for Jeuno.

The woman smiled, her face matching her own, the Queen's double in almost every way. "I can't promise you something I myself do not know my Queen, but I will give my life to save you." She said. She snapped her fingers and off to the side a table teleported in and on it were many scrolls.

"Those scrolls have some of my more recent memories projected into them. All you need to do is read the words at the top of the scroll and those memories will be embedded into your own mind, a lot of it are my skills with a sword, and training as a knight. Not only will they help you survive but it will help us pull off the switch."

She walked over to the table and picked up a scroll, and she did so more as the Queen would then a simple knight would, with a grace and elegance one would expect from her.

Natembia nodded and walked to the table and took up the first scroll, she was use to this form of communication it had been used in other means of palace life and was often used between nobles of different kingdoms as forms of comunication.....it was trusted more then simple written words.

The first scroll contained hand to hand combat training and knowledge of weapons and weapon skills, all of which was completely knew to the Queen she smiled as she consumed the knowledge it was empowering to feel you could defend yourself. She looked over to the Captain who was now looking exactly like she had, she held herself with regal grace and there was no doubt she would pass as the Queen of Jeuno, it still amazed her that this women had every ounce of training in nobility she had plus was expertly trained to protect herself, the Royal family and her Country...she admired her.

Natambia turned back to the task at hand and began to read more scrolls and consumed a plausible time frame of the Captain's life to easily pass as her should she be questioned. "Will we tell Iczer of the switch?" she asked as she finished the last scroll and watched it disappear.

Her eyes flashed and then returned to normal, a almost perfect match for the Queen's own. "No, As much as I trust Iczer, the less who know of this for now the better." She said, speaking more and more like the Queen. The few remaining Scrolls were went through quickly and when they were done she turned to the Queen. "Your not bound like I was from speaking, And because of the magic veil you wore no one will know your me." She said.

She turned away a moment and drew the sword, giving it a once over and checking it. "I must say the craftsmanship of this sword is a step above most of the swords used by the red rose knights." She spoke to the Queen, sheathing it once more.

"From now on you will have to take lead, since you are my personal body guard..." She laughed a little, bowing before her Queen for the last time for some time. "Iczer has been trained well, and knows much of the world, I would have not picked him for this had he not known as much as he did." She changed the way she stood to give the look of being uncomfortable in armor, and a much more worried expression on her face.

Natembia was nervous, she had not been born to lead and although she had consumed the Captains scrolls it was still a deeply ingrained personality trait. Bowing to the ..Queen, she smiled at that thought she looked about "Lets go...we can not have long before we are discovered here, the Duke will be systematically checking the castle and with the army he seems to have it will not take him long to narrow down the possible locations." Natembia was a little stunned that she was able to think like that, her normal cause of action would be to sit and wait to be told she needed to move.

Taking the Captains old weapons she strapped them to her amour and prepared to head to the Airships. It was the only option they had, doing the obvious in hopes of being unobvious to the Duke. "This way your Majesty" she stepped into a yellow stream of light and held her hand out to the new queen.

The sound of metal on metal as the two knights rushed up the north tower of the castle. "Just like old times, isn't it Hector?" Iczer said as he and hector rounded another corner.

"Yeah, just we weren't being chased by our own men!" He said and kicked a knight following them up the stairs and smiled at the sound of metal clacking down the stairs.

Iczer smile and nodded to his long time friend as the two continued up the north tower, a tower that had been sealed off since the King's death. He knew it would draw the Duke's forces out, if for no other reason then to find out why he was fighting his way there.

Before long they had made it to the top, and now both men stood outside in a small disc of a platform at the top of the tower, a once beautiful garden now just a empty space to stand on. It wasn;t long before the duke's black knights showed up and had the two men surrounded.

"Hand over the Queen and we will make your deaths quick..." A man's voice said, and the two looked up to the door as a knight in black and purple armor walked through, Iczer had seen him once before in the Queen's room.

"Why don't you hand over the duke and we can end this before more blood is spilled." Iczer replied. drawing his sword and pointing it at the knight in black and purple armor.

"Your the reason blood is being shed now... Your the one who has caused all this chaos... Why don't you just turn the queen and yourself in and end it now... Before more innocent lives are sacrificed..." Was his reply.

Iczer rolled his eyes and made the first move, and charged the man, and with pin point precision put his sword's blade through the knights helmet. But was shocked when the knight reached up and grabbed hold of the blade.

"Is that the best you got?" He said, as Iczer quickly pulled the sword back and hopped back from the knight. As he watched Iczer back away he started to laugh. "Your in over your head human!" The armored around him started to bend and crack in places as the once human sized form began to change.

"Shit... Should have known..." Was all Iczer could say as he watched the demon transform in front of him. The Order of shadows was well known to have demons among their ranks and this shouldn't have come as a shock, but he wasn't ready to fight a demon just yet. Not that he didn't have the skill, but battling a demon tends to lead to lots of damage to the area, and that wasn't something he wanted right now.

"Mist of the dragon."

A single snow flake fell between the demon and Iczer before the demon and all the knights under his command turned to ice the moment the snow flake hit the ground. Iczer turned and looked back at Hector and smile. "Didn't think you had time to cast that.." He said, but jumped back out of surprise as Hector took a swing at him with his sword. "Hector?!" Iczer asked, not sure what was going on.

"Fool... It's too soon for that..." Hector said and held his sword in the air and with a downward swing a blade of energy like a shock wave from his blade smashed the demon into pieces. "Heh seems like I will have to deal with you myself Iczer." Hector said and took a step towards the other knight.

Iczer wasn't sure what was going on but stayed on his guard, more out of his training then fear of being attacked at the moment. "What's going on Hector?!" He got no reply as Hector just kept stepping closer and closer, and Iczer backing up till he was backed into a corner by the wall of frozen knights.

"I have no need to explain myself to a dead man.." Hector finally said before making a charge at Iczer, ready to start a true battle at the top of the north tower. Hector knew Iczer had lead them up here for a reason, this must be the way to get to the Queen, and so no longer wished to play around any longer.

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Iczer had been right, with leading the orders troops off, and the duke thinking they would try to sneak out the path to the airship docks was empty, and with the black knights all being sent after Iczer the Queen and captain had no trouble sneaking in to the docks and onto the Queen's personal airship, it didn't take long before the guards knew something was amiss as a airship was starting up. But by then it was too later. But the former captain could only sit back and watch as the once Queen piloted the ship, and armed the light cannons, their only hope to strike the 3 unknown airships and hope they didn't crash and explode as they made their get away, and then there was quickly finding Iczer, but that shouldn't be a problem, their would be a army chasing him after all.

The Queen watched from her personal cabin of the ship as it blasted out of the airship docks and she saw the 3 unknowns, which stopped firing on the city and palace to find out who this new airship was, she could only hope those scrolls would be enough to help the Queen take on her hopefully temporary roll as captain.

Natembia boarded the airship silently talking to her self, hoping that the scrolls indeed help in their time of need, the disguised Natembia takes the helm of her former personal airship. Many a time she watched the captain pilot the ship but she always was a passenger and never in the captains chair. She now cursed herself for not paying closer attention, never for a moment thinking that this day would come.

This may only be her personal airship but it was designed with the Queen's protection in mind. The ship has 6 light cannons on both sides ready and aimed. Her hands flew over the controls as if they were controlled by someone else and she was merely the puppet, once the strangeness of this eased she was grateful she had read the scrolls and that they worked because right now she had three airships wanting to shoot her down.

Natembia said a silent prayer and the first cannon fired taking out the side of one airship causing it to change direction she then fire on the other making it fly into the path of the other causing a gap in between them, as she flew towards that gap she let off another two cannons one on either side taking out the remaining problem....now to find Iczer.

Circling the city Natembia scanned for any sign of Iczer, Her new instincts told her, he would need to be on high ground and someplace she could reach him and that he would do his best to achieve this, the towers made the most sense. Swinging the airship around she headed for the furthest towers knowing it made sense to sweep across the city and cover the most ground in the shortest time.......they needed to be gone before more airships decided to try and take her down again.

The sound of metal on metal was the only sound one could hear as the two fighters tried to best the other in a fight to the death. Dodging, parrying and blocking the blows sent at one another, their weapons were but mere flashes at times. Each one coming closer and closing to ending the elegant dance they were locked in. But like the elegance of a ball room dance, there was one who would lead and one who would follow.

The two knights danced inside the ring of frozen bodies that were once Knights like them, but with far less skill. Their swords clashed as the cold mist around them slowly disappeared.

"Do you intend to keep up this feeble rebellion of the Queen's for much longer...." Hector asked as the two stood a short distance apart now, a momentary brake in the waltz that had been going on. "We have solid proof that the Queen is the one who plans to overthrow the Order and take control for herself!" He said, his sword still pointed at Iczer, ready to counter any attack he might make.

"Are you blind Hector?! This is a set up to blame the Queen and let duke Erick take control of kingdom!" Iczer replied, He too was on his guard for a attack. He watched for any sign of movement, to try to predict what type of attack was to come.

Hector laughed and changed his stance. "A foolish attempt to beg for your life! I won't have it!" And with that he attacked, this attack was going to end the battle, one would stand and one would fall.

"Avalanche Strike!"

Iczer's eyes went wide a moment before the attack struck, but his training was enough to dodge most of the attack, and the armor powerful enough to block the remaining harmful effects of the attack.

Behind him though, a wall of ice that went from the platform all the way to the ground and across half the city stood behind him. The huge wall of ice force of the airships that was hit by the Queen in place in mid are, part of it frozen solid in the wall.

Iczer knew what was behind him, he knew that the attack had done a lot of damage to everything in the line behind him. He just looked at Hector and wondered what happened to his friend, someone he had known since he was a child. The ice falling from his armor as the magic shield sparked, and knowing he would not be able to block another blow like that.