Dangerous Kingdom (open)

[BiJessicaF]

Lady Cassandra Moorcroft was probably the most famous woman in all of the known realm. She was the eldest child of the Moorcroft house, the ruling family of the westerlands, making her arguably the most powerful woman in the kingdom aswell. All the wealth and power had meant that she and her younger brother Tyrus had led a fairly sheltered life, being spoiled by their father, waited on by servants and that had left them naive to the harsh reality of life in this world. All that was about to change...

Her father had recently passed away, and with his passing the wealth and power he had held onto so tightly quickly evaporated, with no mother having lost hers during the birth of her younger brother, Cassandra had to take on the responsibility of continuing the legacy of the Moorcroft name. At only 21 this was a huge burden, and one which she was not ready for. She did not know of the forces that moved against her, that sought to destroy her family and her name. She knew not of the people that her father had wronged who had plotted their revenge waiting for the right time to strike.

Her brother would be of little help having been just as spoilt and naive as her, spending most of his adolescence bedding maids rather than preparing himself to rule. Cassandra sat in her chambers contemplating how she should dress for the high council meeting this evening when she recieved an unexpected knock at her door...

 

[AmberStar]

Mydae’s face was stern, somewhat cold after she slid down from the side of her mount. Her hand finding the cold, steeled pommel of her longsword. Her ocean blue orbs already skimmed over the space around the Griffin Claw tavern upon her riding up to the hitching post, for it was a common training lesson that all guardsmen were rigorously preached to learn. She learned her lesson many years ago when she first picked up a wooden sword and her mentor got several hits for her failure to know her surroundings. This teaching saved her life many times over the course of her life and now it was going to be tested once more.

She moved to the tavern and pushed the heavy oak door open. She pulled back as the sting of heavy pipe smoke and unwashed bodies. She coughed, cleared her throat and moved into the dimly light atmosphere. Her eyes skimmed over the patrons, noted the ones that were armed, the ones that were ill with age and those that had greedy, horny hands that felt the need to touch every passing pussy. The deep breath she took was followed by the heavy sigh of a tired exhale.

Instinctively, her coin purse was pressed between her abs and the waist tie of her chain skirt. She moved over to the bar and greeted the heavy set barkeep. “Ale, ham with eggs.” Her tone was as cold as the stern face she greeted the man with. His nod was still in process as he turned away from her and moved to the back to give the cook the order. Her form slid down on the stool top while her glare moved down the bar top to the two savory men at the end. Their eyes watched her moves with a great interest as she returned the glare to them. It was the moment of time that sizing up the threat began, however her attention was drawn back to the barkeeper when the heavy mug of ale was set down before her followed by her plate of ham and eggs. She reached into the pouch and tossed the five silvers to the man.

She ate in peace, her savory admirers seemed to have lost interest as the barmaid was making rounds in their area. Her shriek and yell brought laughter among the patrons. Mydae was about to stand when the huge hand of the barkeep landed on her shoulder and eased her down. “We have this under control. Thank you for your willing to assist her.” That’s when a rather mountain of a man walked out from the back and the young man whom felt a need to grab some tit was introduced to the wall, then the door, then the muddy street out back. Mydae nodded to the barkeep with a smile.

She stood after she completed the dinner, tossed a few extra silver coins down for the barmaid and moved to the door. She was now going to do what she came to the Westerlands to do. She moved back to her steed and headed up the street. Her glare was up and down both side of the street as if she was looking for someone, but in reality she was looking for any signs of trouble. She continued up the road that slowly inclined up to the Moorcroft keep.

She eyed the two guards whom stepped in her path. “What business brings you here this evening.” one hissed at her while the other was cycling around her. “I come to honor an agreement. My name is Mydae, I was asked to come and be the guardian of Cassandra upon the Death of Lord Moorcroft. Here is his mark! She took off her left glove and showed the branding of her wrist. The wax sealed parchment was handed to them. “His words of my service.” She barked to them.

“This way!” She was ordered to follow after she dismounted and her horse was lead to the stables by the stable boy. She looked to the other guard whom moved on back to his station. She smiled under her frowning face. She walked with the older guard into the keep and was handed over and unarmed by the Captain of the guard. With his nod she was grabbed by two men and was escorted behind the Captain.

After several stairs and two long corridors they came to a huge iron banded oak door. The Captain knocked upon the door and waited for the Lady Cassandra to answer…

 

[BiJessicaF]

Cassandra jumped from her seat, startled from her day dreaming by the loud knocking on her chamber door. Although naive she was no fool, enquiring as to who was knocking on her door so late in the day.

'A visitor M'lady' came the gruff but familiar voice of her trusted Captain. She had known him since she was a child, playing games with him in the courtyard whilst her father did god knows what. Cassandra loved her father deeply, but truth be told even she knew he was not a man to be crossed, and that he had done terrible things during his time as Lord of the house.

She stood upright, adjusting her hair slightly, her dark flowing hair looking almost perfect, as it should. 'Who cares if they have to wait, I am a Lady afterall' she thought to herself. Slowly she made her way to the big Oak door, her long red flowing dress followed as she almost glided across the room. 'You may enter' she replied, sounding every bit the entitled brat that she was.

She stood upright, frowning as the Captain opened the door, annoyed to have been disturbed during her private time. However she did not expect what she saw next when she locked eyes with Mydae...

 

[AmberStar]

Mydae eyes shifted between the two guards whom continued to hold her arms tightly, watching their Captain for a signal that it was okay to release her or drag her ass down to the dungeon. She glared at them when the Captain stepped into the chamber and she was shoved forward. Her eyes quickly left them to square up to the Lady that she was branded to protect. Her eyes moved up and down the frame of the Lady and her eyes rolled up while her head shook. She wondered what the hell her Lord has been doing while this child was growing up; she didn’t have to wait long when her mind answered itself. She remembered the night when he and a few of his men took all the women from the tavern floor up to their room, she was one that resisted and managed to subdue three of his best. Impressed with her fighting skill the Lord hired her as a protector and branded her that night as one of his entrusted, a rare group of warriors what were pledged to protect his family and the family name.

She looked at the men-at-arms next to her before looking at the daughter of her Lord. “My Name is Mydae; I am an entrusted that has come to honor my Lords wishes. Now, if you do not wish death for these two fools, kindly have them release me or I shall do it myself.” Her face showing no change from her stern jawed one. The plan of her attack was to disarm and slay these two was already figured out and was just waiting for the signal to execute the plan.

She smiled when the Captain nodded his head and the hands fell away from her arms. “The captain has the parchment that holds my pledge and mark for my service and my placement in what he calls the Entrusted ones. She then pulled the glove off her hand and displayed the mark upon her wrist baring the mark of the Entrusted ones. “I am here to protect you M’lady. “ Her dark blue orbs moving up to the young, face of her new charge. “I am at your service.” Mydae lowered her head for a few moments before rising to her full height. Her gaze shifting over to the Captain with a mistrusting look.

 

[BiJessicaF]

Cassandra stared back at Mydae for the longest time, taking in the sight of this woman dressed as a warrior. 'Quite strange' she thought to herself, having been raised as a Lady. Cassandra continued to listen to Mydae speak as she pleged her loyalty to her. Something about her was intriguing, not that Cassandra quite knew what it was.

'Give me that' she snapped, snatching the parchment from the Captain's hand, studying it carefully. Cassandra's eyes darting between the parchment, and Mydae's mark, before finally meeting the gaze of her dark blue orbs.

'Just give me the word M'lady and we can have this whelp taken to the Dungeons' the captain remarked, snapping Cassandra out of her momentary daze. 'No!' she yelled before regaining her composure 'that will be quite alright. Mydea here is our guest, and this is not how we treat guests now is it Sir Laenis?' Her tone was not unlike that of a parent disciplining a small child. This was not lost on the captain who frowned at both women.

'Well what are you waiting for? Leave' Cassandra ordered the Captain and his fellow guard, before adding 'but don't go too far'. Turning her gaze to Mydae once again 'You however may stay' smiling, as she stood holding the parchment in her hand, staring into those dark blue orbs. 'We have much to discuss, for starters how is it that you came to be in my service?'

 

[AmberStar]

Mydae tilted her head toward the Captain when he spoke of the dungeon, her hand moving to the pommel of her sword. She was about to issue a warning to the captain when Cassandra’s voice took control and put the captain in a state of disarray by ordering him out of the chambers. Mydae’s lips formed a small smirk when the captain glared at her. Her eyes telling him not to be a fool and trust the fact that just because she was a female didn’t mean she didn’t know how to fight. The glare between them was one of just that, sizing each other up, but he had orders from the Lady of the house and that was the only reason he was giving in to the eye-to-eye challenge.

Mydae licked over her drying lips, she knew facing off with the captain wasn’t smart but at the moment she had to show strength and standing up straight too all challenges would give her that first impression of impressiveness but cursed with I’m going to kick her ass later issue. She would deal with that in private with the captain. She believed she could take him, but she felt that way about everyone she first meets until that day they prove her wrong.

She turned her attention to the Lady when Cassandra informed her that she could stay. She nodded to the Lady while keeping her eyes locked with the glowing orbs of the lady before her. “I come to your service by the orders of your father. I’m sorry for your loss.” she gave the basic information that lacked the details. She has found out that sometimes the in detail of things makes things a lot worse compared to offering a basic gray explanation of things. Mydae knew she wanted to know the details so she shook her head and started over. “A year ago your father was at a brothel tavern. He and some of his men decided to take every woman on the floor to the bedchambers. Well, I’m no milk-maiden so when his men grabbed me I taught them a few lessons in sword and dagger play. He was impressed with my fighting skill he wanted me to come work for him. That very night he was attacked by some assassins that claimed to serve the seven sisters and was to bring them his heart. They died by my sword while they had him trapped in his bareness with a few maidens.” Mydae gave her back-story, but continued “In graduated your father offered me to become one of his Entrusted which he informed me that I will never have to seek shelter, food or coin to fill my purse for it would all be provided to me for my service of protection. I signed that parchment stating that I will defend his family and his family name. I come into your service for you are his family and you carry the family name for which I am branded to protect.” She looked down at the mark for a moment before looking back up into the glittering orbs of Cassandra.