"The Queen's Assassin" (closed)

[HumanBean]

"The Queen's Assassin"

(closed)
Map of the Known World
(see note at bottom)​

Morrow Tyne didn't know exactly how long he'd been held in the dungeon of Castle Yalla. It had been hard to mark the passage of time. His cell had had no windows. Meals and water had been sporadic when they'd come at all.

When he was finally removed, Morrow was hooded and bound. He would have expected the bindings. His captors wanted to make sure he reached his execution place without a fight. The hood confused him initially. Usually, the public was meant to see the faces of the condemned. But as Morrow expected to mount the gallows, he was instead put in the saddle atop of large, powerful horse.

They rode out of the city and east of Yalla, the capital city of the Republic of the same name. Their pace changed often. In the open fields, they rode mostly at a gallop. Reaching the thick forest, they slowed to a trot or walk. He was occasionally smacked by tree limbs at the narrow parts of the trails. Occasionally, his escorts warned him. More often than not, they didn't. Despite being hooded with his hands bound behind his back, Morrow easily remained in the saddle. He was a skilled horseman.

Near midday, they dismounted. Still hooded, Morrow listened to his escorts negotiating fresh mounts. Then, they were off again. As dark arrived, they dismounted a second time to camp. Morrow remained hooded. His escorts lifted his hood enough to give him water. But he was denied food.

He'd been denied information, too. Morrow had asked twice what was happening and where they were going. Both times he'd been punched in the gut hard enough to be dropped to his knees. He decided he'd wait rather than make more inquiries.

Morning came, and they were back in the saddle again, still heading east. The ride was more difficult this leg. The trail rose far more than it dropped, sometimes steeply. There was more rock than dirt beneath the horse's hooves now. They'd left the forest early, riding over open ground for a few hours.

At midday, they stopped a final time. Morrow was pulled from his ride and finally unhooded. Once his eyes had adjusted, Morrow knew exactly where they were: the Salfar Mountains.

With an escort on each side holding him, Morrow was facing south. He heard a heavy horse approaching but couldn't twist far enough to see it. The horse skidded to a stop on the rocky ground.

"Turn him around," a female voice commanded.

They turned Morrow around to see an incredible woman atop a powerful, black horse.


NOTE ABOUT MAP: I did not create this map. It was "borrowed" from the internet by a previous writing partner of mine. I "borrowed" it from her.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World

The woman atop the skittish, prancing black steed urged it closer to Morrow as she studied him. She knew all about him, or -- at least -- everything her people had told her about him; she was sure that -- like most people -- there was far more about him than anyone but him could know.

She pranced her mount fully around Morrow while her men held him in place. When she was before him again, she asked, "Do you know who I am?"

He didn't answer, either because he didn't know or didn't want her to know he knew. She glanced to one of the escorts expectantly.

"This is Her Highness Princess Luna dema sal faya Yalla," the man said, using Luna's full royal birth name; it was only ever used for official events or first introductions such as this one. He finished with, "The rightful heir to the throne of the Republic of Yalla, the Greater Yallan Empire, and all its territories and fealty nations."

At this, the second escort struck Morrow in the back of his knees in a precise way that dropped him involuntarily to the front of them while demanding, "Kneel before your Princess, dog."

Luna threw her right leg over the front of her saddle and dropped athletically to the ground; the second escort had attempted to get to her in time to assist her but was too late. She showed him no disfavor, simply ignoring his apologetic cowering as she handed over the stallion's reins.

Walking slowly up to Morrow, Luna studied him again. Then she added to the escort's description of her, "And I am the person who is going to keep you from having your head cleaved from your body ... if you can do me a small favor.[/i]"

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World

"Do you know who I am?" Luna asked.

Morrow did, in fact. He knew her name before it was given to him by the escort And he knew her face, too. He had looked upon it on several occasions in recent months.

His familiarity with her was directly connected to his last job: the successful assassination of her father, the now-former King of the Republic of Yalla.

Morrow didn't answer, though. He didn't see any gain in admitting his familiarity with her or her now-dead father. Of course, if Morrow was here with her now, Luna had to know that he was the man who'd killed her father, right?

One of his escorts finished his introduction of Luna with, "The rightful heir to the throne of the Republic of Yalla, the Greater Yallan Empire, and all its territories and fealty nations."

Again, Morrow remained quiet. The man's claim on Luna's behalf was pretty bold for two reasons. First, Luna's older brother, Nellan, was his father's Heir Apparent.

More importantly, though, was the current state of, as the man described it, the Republic of Yalla, the Greater Yallan Empire, and all its territories and fealty nations. The simple fact was that the crown and throne of Yalla didn't control all of those things anymore.

Most of what had been the Empire had either rebelled and now controlled themselves or been taken by other entities, sometimes after rebelling.

As far as Morrow knew, the forces loyal to the crown only controlled the City of Yalla itself and the farms, ranches, waterways, and woodlands immediate surrounding it. By his estimate, the empire was less than than a tenth the size it had been when Luna's father had first been crowned.

Morrow felt pain at the back of his knees as the second man struck him, dropping him to his knees. He could have cried out or objected. He could have cursed the man, which had been his first instinct. Instead, Morrow remained silence.

Luna dismounted and approached him. She told him that she was the person preventing him from being executed. " ... if you can do me a small favor."

Morrow couldn't help but smirk a bit. Sounds like a job to me, he thought. If he'd been on his feet, Morrow would have bowed at the waist. From his knees, he did the best he could, saying, "I am at your service, your highness."

Presuming that Luna knew what he did for a living, Morrow was tempted to ask Who do you want me to kill. But there was still so much about his current situation that he simply didn't understand

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World

"I am at your service, your highness," Morrow said.

Luna smiled just enough for it to be seen. She'd expected the man to at least ask what the favor was. She told him bluntly, "I need you to kill a member of my family." Then, pausing with a slight smirk, she added, "Another member of my family."

She looked for his understanding that she fully understood who he was and what he'd done. She delved into her story, "I never doubted that my brother would someday have our father killed. As the years passed, my father came to understand that Nellan would make a poor King once he himself had passed. My father had already spoken with me about eliminating Nellan from the hereditary line. My brother was to become governor of one of the Republic's territories.

"The question was never whether Nellan would kill my father," she said firmly. "The questions had been when ... how ... and whom by. Unfortunately, my brother acted sooner than I had imagined ... before I could fully convince my father to act.

"The men protecting my father were, unfortunately, under my brother's influence," Luna continued, now beginning a slow walk around the kneeling man and the escorts flanking him. "They turned their backs to let you get close to my father, I have been informed by those in the castle who are loyal to me. They include the men standing on either side of you ... ensuring that you don't attempt to do to me what you did to my father."

Luna was standing out front of Morrow again, and she gestured to her men to stand their prisoner to his feet. "Cut him loose," she ordered. Each man looked to her with concern but -- after receiving a sharp glare -- did as they were told. She looked Morrow in the eyes as she stepped closer to him and continued, "The very men who betrayed the king by aided you in getting to his quarters ... were the very same men who then betrayed you ... captured you when they were supposed to help you flee the castle ... yes?"

She didn't have to hear his answer, of course, as her contacts had already filled her in on such details. Luna continued, "My brother cannot permit you to speak to people of power ... the Nobles ... the Clergy ... me ... about your part in the King's assassination. He will have learned of your escape by sunrise yesterday ... and by sundown last night, he would have had the entire Guard out looking for you with an order to kill you on sight."

Luna studied Morrow's face a moment, then smiled. "You have two choices as I see it. Flee the Republic of Yalla. Go as far north as you can. Meretheni to the west will not be far enough. My brother will spend every gold coin in the Yallan treasury to hunt you down and prevent the truth from coming out. The Frenkish Empire to the east...? Vint...?" She shook her head. "He'll find you there, too. If you don't mind snakes and mosquitoes, you could try the swamps of The Fenwater or perhaps Lux."

"The second choice is easy: kill my brother. I have enough support in the Nobles to be confirmed as my father's legitimate heir, even if I am implicated as Nellan's killer," she said confidently. "Once I am Queen, you will be pardoned for your part in my father's death. You'll be given a nice piece of property in an out of the way location ... perhaps a Nobleman's virgin daughter as a wife ... an allowance of coin to keep you warm and fed through the harsh winters."

Luna paused a moment, studying Morrow, before smiling again and asking, "What do you think...?" She suddenly realized that she didn't actually know Morrow's name and asked, "What do I call you, by the way?"

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World

"I never doubted that my brother would someday have our father killed," Luna told Morrow. She went into details about the fears that she'd realized just days ago.

Her description of how her father's assassination had gone down was spot on. Morrow had had assistance from the King's own traitorous Bodyguard. And that Bodyguard had then betrayed Morrow as well.

When she had him raised to his feet and unbound, Morrow was confused. Luna was confident that the two men flanking him could protect their Princess from him. She was wrong. Morrow could have been on Luna in a flash, breaking her neck as easily as breaking a straw of matured wheat.

He remained in place and still, though. Morrow wasn't going to react in any way until he'd heard the last of what the Princess had to say to him.

"My brother cannot permit you to speak..." she went on, explaining how Nellan would hunt Morrow to the ends of the Known World to keep their secret. "You have two choices as I see it."

She spoke of Morrow fleeing the Republic of Yalla. That thought made him grimace with dissatisfaction. Morrow had seen most of the Known World during his travels. He'd killed people in most corners of the world. Sometimes many people. He would remain in a particular region until things got hot. Sometimes he left for a job in a distant land.

The point was that fleeing Yalla wouldn't necessarily keep Morrow safe. He could hide out in a dive of a small fishing village inn on the Bitter Islands, in Frost Bay, near Cloudy Sound, or on either side of the Risky Strait and still not be safe.

"Snakes," he murmured when Luna mentioned them. A chill literally ran up his back. "I don't like snakes."

"The second choice is easy," she continued. "Kill my brother."

She spoke of rising to sit on the throne with Nellan's murder, telling Morrow, "Once I am Queen, you will be pardoned for your part in my father's death."

Luna spoke of what Morrow could walk away from all of this with: land, gold, a virgin noble girl. He liked the last two. Owning and being tied down to a piece of land didn't really pique his interest, though.

"What do you think...?" she said, pausing. She asked, "What do I call you, by the way?"

"Morrow," he answered, adding, "Just Morrow."

He could have explained how he'd gotten the name but didn't. When he was a young boy, he'd been a perpetual procrastinator. A million times he'd told this person or that, I'll get it down on the morrow. The nickname had stuck.

He only changed his ways after his father abandoned the family and his mother died of fever. Suddenly the man of the house, caring for four younger siblings, procrastination didn't work. Morrow worked as hard as he could to keep everyone fed and in a dry home.

But work as hard as he could, Morrow couldn't make ends meet. The Church took his siblings away from him, essentially selling them to local Nobles as laborers. Except his sister, that was. She became a plaything for a nobleman and his three sons.

When she killed herself at just 16, Morrow slaughtered all four of the men who'd driven her to suicide. And suddenly, he'd found his new vocation. He let it be known what he could do for the right amount of silver or gold. There was never a shortage of clients. Someone somewhere always wanted someone else dead.

"I'll do it," he told Luna. "But not to then run off to some distant estate with a trunk of silver and a naive little thing that may or may not suit me in bed."

He thought a moment, then said, "You'll provide me with that pardon, yes. And a little estate somewhere near the Capital. With a staff to take care of it because I don't know donkey dick about running a farm.

And you'll give me a position on your staff," he continued. "Call me an Advisor. Or a member of your Bodyguard. It doesn't matter. Because what I will be is something you're going to need if you are going to do what I think you're going to do: put the Empire back together."

Morrow studied Luna's reaction and, if she made one, listened to her response. "You can regain a portion of what was lost during your father's reign by marrying some Prince or King. And you can send your army to put down some of the rebellions raging throughout the territories.

"But what you really need," he said, pausing to smirk and wonder if she was thinking the same thing, "is someone willing, able, and even eager to do the really hard, really nasty, really bloody stuff that will bring the Empire back together. What you need is an assassin."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World

"I'll do it," Morrow said in response to Luna's offer, only to immediately renegotiate it with terms she hadn't even considered; she would never have imagined that Morrow would want to remain in Yalla, let alone work for her in the castle.

He spoke of positions and titles she could claim he held, only to then speak of reconstituting the Empire through means he was most capable of offering.

"What you need is an assassin," Morrow said firmly.

Luna considered what Morrow was suggesting a moment, then turned to take a few steps away to think even more. She wasn't naive, of course; she knew that sometimes, the best way to deal with someone who simply wouldn't see things your way was to eliminate them.

Luna knew that over the years, her father had had people killed or disappeared. But he hadn't typically used a professional assassin to get the job done; he had had men in his Bodyguard or Army who'd been perfectly capable of getting such things done.

The problems arose when assassinations that would have been better kept quiet weren't. That was when a professional was needed for the job.

"I cannot guarantee that I would have enough work for you to make such a permanent position profitable for you," Luna found herself saying.

Are you really considering this? she asked herself. They spoke on it some more, with Morrow coming up with some more details that were perfectly fine with her.

"Very well," she said, returning to stand close to Morrow again. "You deal with our current situation and help me get onto the throne. You'll have your pardon ... and your little estate with workers. And I'll still toss in a virgin ... maybe two."

They concluded their negotiation, with Luna stressing, "This must be taken care within 8 days ... before my brother's coronation. If Nellan is killed after he is crowned, the throne goes to his 3-year-old son."

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World

"I cannot guarantee that I would have enough work for you," Luna responded regarding Morrow's request for a job in her court as an assassin.

He had been doubtful that she would respond positively to his negotiations. Now, though, it seemed that this might actually happen. He told her, "I'm sure that I can find other things to keep me occupied. And flush with coin."

It was already occurring to Morrow that a position on a Queen's Court would provide a level of protection that he'd rarely enjoyed. And that protection could mean more work, safer work, and more coin.

"Very well," Luna said. She agreed to his terms. Then she stressed, "This must be taken care within 8 days ... before my brother's coronation."

Morrow's face became more serious. Eight days wasn't a long time. The problem wasn't getting back into the Capital or even into the castle. It was getting close to Nellan within that time frame.

It had taken Morrow nearly a month to find the right opportunity to get to and kill Luna's father and then get away. That getaway, of course, hadn't gone as planned.

But that hadn't been his fault. Morrow had simply trusted the wrong person. He didn't do that often. Which begged the question: was he trusting the wrong person again now?

Morrow mulled over the question as Luna continued, "If Nellan is killed after he is crowned, the throne goes to his 3-year-old son."

Morrow shook his head lightly. He had never understood hereditary titles. How could an Empire, Kingdom, Republic, or even an estate be handed down to a child? It had never made sense to him.

"I can get this done," he answered confidently. "I only need one thing from you, Luna."

"Your Highness," one of the men beside him stressed.

Morrow looked to the man. He realized that he hadn't been showing the level of subordinance expected from a subject.

Looking to Luna again, Morrow performed a modest head bow, correcting, "Your Highness. There is only one thing I would need from you. Please.

"I need you to get word to your brother that you wish to speak to him about your father's death," Morrow explained, continuing, "about Prince Nellan's upcoming coronation, and about your place in his realm.

"Make it seem clear that you are unhappy about all that is happening," Morrow stressed. "Perhaps even suggest that you are going to contest his rise to the throne. Perhaps even let him know that you are coming to the Capital in, let's say, three days time, to meet with him at a neutral location.

"This will cause your brother to have more things on his mind than finding me," he explained. "The more on Nellan's mind, the easier it will be for me to find an opportunity."

Presuming Luna could do this, Morrow was ready to ride off and begin the job. All he needed was a bag of silver to finance the mission.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World

"I'm sure that I can find other things to keep me occupied," Morrow said when Luna doubted that she had enough work for a full time assassin. He added, "And flush with coin."

Luna stressed without hesitation, "So long as these other things fell in line with what I was attempting to achieve ... as Queen."

Morrow didn't respond to Luna's demand, not that she'd expected anything from him, particularly anything reaffirming. He was an assassin, a killer, and Luna had no reason to believe that she could keep him in control and on the path she was setting forth. And yet, she told him, "Very well."

She told him about the time constraint, and Morrow told her what he needed from her. She appreciated his bowing to her position, even though she doubted his sincerity in it. Luna reassured him, "I will get word to my brother by sundown tomorrow. I will tell him that I will meet him at the Church of the Holy Mount, just south of the Capital City, just after sunrise four days from now."

She noticed the disappointment in Morrow's face and quickly explained, "There is no way for me to realistically make the transit from Tiala to Yalla to speak with my brother. This will have to do. Will this be of use to you?"

Morrow seemed happy with what Luna offered, but as she made it clear that they were ready to begin, he hesitated. She knew what he needed before he left and turned to return to her horse. Pulling open a saddlebag, she removed a pair of pouches, then returned to stand before Morrow.

"This is for your expenses," Luna said, tossing him one bag. By the sound, it was full of silver coins. Then, opening the second bag and pouring some of its contents out into one hand, she revealed a small fortune in colorful, sun-glinting jewels. She continued, "This is for you once my brother is dead and I have been crowned Queen. It is enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life ... out there in the world ... or, if it truly is what you want ... on a little estate outside the Capital City ... while continuing to work for me ... Sir Morrow."

They concluded their negotiation and conspiracy, and they went their separate ways. One of Luna's men road away first, to the east to deliver the word to Nellan that his sister would meet him. The other escort went north with Luna, their destination the coastal city of Tiala. Luna had been made Lady of Tiala by her father when she was just 13 years old, and she'd spent much of her life since then governing the city.

The people loved her there. She'd spent a great deal of her father's silver, gold, and influence in turning a failing fishing village into one of the Realm's most important, strategic, and wealthy port cities. Ships and boats of all shapes and sized visited Tiala for trade. Some of them sailed only the Inland Sea, the waters that wrapped around the holy Peninsula of Tella-Un; others sailed between the Inland Sea and the Great Sea via the River Yalla, visiting the many ports in many nations throughout the Known World.

Luna knew that she was safe in Tiala, thus her reason for wanting to get back there during these dangerous times. It would take until after full darkness for her and her escort to reach the city, and after just a few hours of sleep, Luna would be on a boat heading for the Capital City of Yalla to speak to her brother.

At least, that would be what Nellan's spies within her Court would learn. Luna knew that her brother had spies within her own home, just as she had them within his. As soon as she departed Tiala for Yalla, these spies would have a messenger on a succession of fast-moving horses to Nellan, to inform him that his sister was, in fact, on her way to meet him. They may even have boats, purporting to be fishing or trade boats, on the water ahead and behind her to keep an eye on her.

They'd have a surprise for them, though...

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World

Morrow let Luna and her escort depart to the north before him. The other man headed back the way they'd come. He shook the bag of silver coins, estimating its contents. It was a goodly sum, probably the largest sum he'd ever been given as prepayment.

He could ride off in any direction and disappear right now. Take this bag and vanish. There was nothing stopping him. Actually, there was. Luna had correct about her brother. He would spare no expense in hunting Morrow down. Although the Empire of Yalla was collapsing, the intelligence systems were still in place. And Nellan still had access to the treasury. Those two things combined meant that Morrow was not safe anywhere in the Known World.

He mounted his horse and headed southwest. Morrow wouldn't take the same path back as he'd been led on here. Too dangerous. It would take him longer. But with his head unhooded and his hands unbound, he'd be able to ride twice as fast. He might even make it back to the Capital City ahead of Luna's messenger.

The day of the meeting at the Church of the Holy Mount:

Morrow had been correct about giving Nellan something more to be concerned about than he himself. Making contact with some of his underworld friends, Morrow had learned that the attention had turned from him to the meeting between the Prince and Princess.

Morrow had uncovered enough information from here, there, and elsewhere to put together a plan. He got word to Luna through a contact they'd arranged of his thoughts for the assassination. Unfortunately, the plan required Luna to actually make an appearance at the Church of the Holy Mount. There simply was no other way.

Nellan's advisor, Sir Vanding, arrived at the Church first, accompanied by just two of Nellan's Bodyguard. They didn't want Luna's people to feel they were in danger. Within a quarter mile of the Church, though, the Prince had more than 100 men ready to pounce on his sister and her escorts. They were either hidden or working in plain sight.

Proceed as planned, Morrow's note to Luna had begun. You will be frightened. You should be. But trust that I will not let any harm come to you.

From hiding, Morrow watched as Sir Vanding and his men rode up to the Church. This was his sign to leave the area. He took a pre-scouted path that took him away from the Church through the city streets to an unassuming hovel near a marketplace.

Here, Morrow accessed the city sewer system and made his way through a quarter mile of stinking, rat-infested stone water-carrying passages. Arriving at his destination and listening for evidence of others nearby, he lifted the steel grate over his head and emerged from the sewer into the alley. He'd placed discarded barrels and crates all around the hole to conceal his exit.

Morrow slipped out of his wet, stinking cloth and collected the bow and quiver of arrows he'd hidden there. Crossing the alley, he entered the back of the business. The proprietor and his wife were still bound and gagged in a corner, as they had been since the early morning hours when they'd first made acquaintance with Morrow.

"Shhh," he whispered. "It's almost over. When the Prince's Guard discovers you here, still tied up, they will find no fault on your part."

He pulled out a small bag of silver and jingled it at them. Putting the bag inside a clay jar, he told them, "This is for any trouble you might face. Don't spend it all in one place. You don't want to draw attention to yourself."

Morrow knew that if all went as planned, this couple wouldn't face any repercussions. However, if things went wrong, he didn't want them to suffer for his misdeeds and mistakes.

He climbed the stairs to the second floor of the building. He then ascended onto the roof, crossed to a second roof, and hid. Now, if his intel was correct, he only needed to wait.

If was only a few minutes before one of Sir Vanding's men rode up quickly, dismounted, and rushed into a small unassuming Inn. A moment later, he and other Guardsmen emerged. They spent a couple of minutes preparing their Prince's transportation and protection.

Finally, Nellan emerged. He was helped up into the saddle of his mount. As he settled in, the first arrow struck him in the neck. Morrow had actually been aiming for the man's chest. But this worked, too.

Panic ensued throughout the entourage as the second arrow hit the target of the one before it. Nellan teetered, his horse startled by the activity around it. The Prince, disoriented by the damage to his body, managed to maintain hold of his reins and saddle's horn, though, keeping in his seat. It was then that the third and last arrow sunk into his upper chest, halfway between the first and second missiles.

Morrow's work here was done. It likely had been down with the first shot. But he'd wanted to ensure that he completed his mission. He turned, laid down on his back with his feet up, and slid down the thatched roof of the building.

At the edge, he flew off into a wagon of straw that he'd placed there and confirmed was still there before entering the home. Landing safely, he jumped up and ran, then walked a zigzagging path through narrow alleys and mostly unoccupied streets.

At each corner, he either stripped off the hat and outer garment he was wearing or snatched up one or both of those objects from where he'd hidden them. If anyone were to notice him and be questioned later by the Guard, it would be unlikely that the differently looking men would be assumed to have been the one man for whom the Guard were searching.

Eventually, he ducked into the side door of a dive of an Inn and took the stairs to the second floor. Morrow entered the first door and immediately began stripping off his clothes. Once naked, he slipped gently into the bed, taking his place between the two whores there. Before they'd gone to bed together the night before, Morrow had ensured that their drinks had ample amounts of poppy, mandrake root, and nigella sativa to keep them asleep through the night and well into the morning.

Despite both of the women being out cold, Morrow took a turn with his cock inside each of them. He wanted them to remember the night as one in which they'd had a great deal of sex, as opposed to having been drugged and abandoned. The smell of his semen on and in them, as well as his sweat from both the run and the sex would be convincing.

Morrow rolled to his back once he was done. He ran the past 12 hours over in his head. Had everything gone as planned? Was he safe? Would the Guard be showing up at his door to arrest him? Before he could come to a definitive conclusion, Morrow passed out.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC


The night before the day of the meeting at the Church of the Holy Mount:

Luna had entered the City of Yalla disguised as a member of a game hunting party, her hooded felt cloak and facial decorations hiding her appearance from the Gate Guards who'd likely been given her description. The party was stopped for only a moment; the combined scent of unbathed hunters and dead, yet-to-be slaughtered carcasses -- some of them with their guts intentionally poked to release their horrific smell -- led the Gate Guards to back off and wave the group through without challenge.

The hunters diverted from their path to the marketplace to a little Inn instead; it was controlled by Luna's loyalists and was otherwise unoccupied. Luna would stay here for the night, surrounded by her Bodyguard and others desperate to see her take the throne.

Getting to sleep was difficult for Luna, though. Her only communication with Morrow after leaving Tiala had been a hastily scribbled note delivered early in the evening: Proceed as planned. You will be frightened. You should be. But trust that I will not let any harm come to you.

That had been far from comforting for Luna, it wasn't until well after midnight that she'd finally been able to close her eyes. Even then, she hadn't been lying in her room's bed but sitting in a chair near the fire, actually trying to remain awake.

The morning of the meeting:

"Your Highness," a soft, female voice spoke to Luna. "It's time."

The Princess blinked her eyes clear, finding her Handmaiden, Stella, standing over her, smiling; Stella had arrived on the boat as well but had come through the gates on a wagon full of grain, dressed as a farmgirl. Still speaking softly, Stella informed Luna, "It's time to get ready, m'lady ... to prepare for meeting your brother."

Stella helped Luna clean up and dress before escorting her downstairs for breakfast. Luna's anxiety was obvious as she milled about the Inn, frequently peeking out the windows onto the street at the people simply going about their lives with no concept of what was about to happen. She also knew that her future depended fully upon Morrow's actions today: if he succeeded in killing her brother, she would set forth to claiming the throne; if he failed, she would have to slip back out of the City and -- like she'd told Morrow -- disappear to some distant place.

There would be no going back to Tiala for Luna; she couldn't return to rule as Tiala's Lady. Her brother, the new King of Yalla, would never let her live; she would be a constant threat to his rule. He'd send a massive force to Tiala if he needed to find, capture, and take Luna into custody. After that, he'd likely have her quietly executed, though, he could always put her in a dungeon cell and use her as an example to others who might stand against him.

The time was approaching for them to leave for the Church, and they hadn't heard what they wanted to hear yet. A runner had returned from the Church to report that Nellan's Advisor had met with Luna's representative, as arranged. Luna was pacing about the Inn's dining room, unable to sit out of deep anxiety. Twice, members of her Bodyguard had arrived to report that her escape route was still safe and secure.

Then, to Luna's great relief, one of her men came running into the Inn, panting and leaning over to rest his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. The others urged him to relay his message; Luna approached him, and when he stood respectfully before her, she asked softly, "Tell me what you know."

He drew and released a couple of more deep breaths, then smiled. "Prince Nellan ... he's dead."

Luna had been holding a breath as she waited for him to answer and now let it out in a relieved gush. She ordered, "Tell me."

The man relayed what he'd seen from the shadows of a nearby alley where he'd been stationed after Morrow's people had learned of the Inn in which Nellan would be spending the night. Another of her men came rushing in, reporting, "Prince Nellan is dead--" He didn't realize that that news had reached them already. "--and they're searching for the assassin."

"But they haven't found the assassin?" Luna asked desperately.

"No, m'lady," the man said. "The Guard is spreading all about, kicking open doors and searching homes and businesses alike. But I don't think they've found the assassin."

Luna's closest Advisors came to her, asking he what she wanted to do now. Most of them had their own opinions: some wanted her to act now, while others said they needed to wait until the madness outside had waned. Luna waved them all quiet, demanding, "Let me think!"

She stood before the roaring cook fire for a couple of minutes, during which Stella had come to stand quietly next to her. When Luna turned and met her gaze, the Handmaiden whispered, "It is your time, m'lady ... time to seize what it yours."

Luna considered the younger woman's words a moment, then smiled; the two of them were very close -- occasional lovers even -- and Luna was aware of and had often depended upon Stella's intelligence and clear thinking. She glanced to the men gathered across the room, waiting patiently for her to make a decision. Looking back to Stella, she whispered, "You are correct, Stella."

She turned back to the group of Advisors, considered her orders, and dispensed them. Those men who were military leaders headed for key locations, such as the City gates, the docks, the Guard Armory, the Mounted Guard Stables, and more; along the way, they gathered loyal men who had been directed to await orders at key locations. Those men who were civilian leaders Advisors headed for the homes and businesses of other Luna-loyal citizens, where they spread the word of the Prince's death and the elevation of the Princess to Heir Apparent.

Luna wanted to get out into the City right away, to allow herself to be seen by the people. But the closest of her Advisors who'd remained, her Bodyguard, and even Stella herself warned her to remain indoors until their enemies were under control and the people who supported her had taken control of the streets.

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC


Following the assassination of Prince Nellan of Yalla:

Across the city of Yalla, the same news that Luna had received was being spread like wildfire: "Prince Nellan is dead."

Ironically, while the city was going crazy, Morrow was sleeping soundly, kept warm by the two well-paid and under-dressed whores flanking him in bed. He had lookouts in the Inn's tavern and alleys surrounding it watching out for any sign that the Guard knew where he was. Morrow was confident that he'd made a clean getaway. He had, as the hours to come would prove.

Things in the city went pretty much as Morrow had expected following his murder of the Heir Apparent to the throne. In the immediate area of the killing, the Royal and City Guards tore through homes and businesses, looking for the assassin. They arrested dozens of people and assaulted dozens more. There was no need for this treatment, of course. It was just how the Guard treated their citizens in times like this.

As the news spread, the citizens of Yalla quickly fell into two camps: those who had supported Nellan and those who had supported his sister. Luna, despite not having lived in the City of Yalla for more than a decade, was still very popular here. The news of how she'd turned Tiala around had made her a folk hero at a very young age. Most of the population had yearned for her to become Queen, even while her father had still been alive.

Luna's Officers and Advisors hurried around the City, collecting their loyal supporters. Soon, the streets were filled with civilians. They donned yellow ribbons on their arms, heads, and makeshift weapons. They chanted Lu-na, Lu-na, Lu-na as the marched and clashed with the City Guard.

That City Guard very quickly became ineffective, only partly because it was being overwhelmed. The main cause of its collapse, though, was that many if not most of its members donned yellow to show their support for Luna.

At the Castle, the gate had been raised with the news that the Prince was dead. It didn't remain up for long, though. Men inside loyal or at the least sympathetic to Luna for the murder of her father (not her brother) overwhelmed the men guarding the gate. The barrier came down, and hundreds if not thousands of people flooded through it to fill the bailey with their chants.

Morrow was finally jostled from his sleep by one of his men with good news. "The Castle has fallen. And Princess Luna is on her way there now, if not there already. We saw her in the streets."

The man left Morrow to his whores, telling him with a smile, "Take your time."

Morrow did, spending two hours being fucked, being sucked, being bathing, being fed, and finally being dressed by the two woman. Eventually, he ventured toward the castle to see how things had turned out.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC


Following the assassination of Prince Nellan of Yalla:

"Prince Nellan is dead ... Prince Nellan is dead..."

Luna could hear the chants in the street beyond the Inn; it began as a single person calling out as they ran by alone, followed by a handful of people in short order, followed finally by a marching mob spreading the news in a sing-song fashion. She looked to Stella, who hadn't left her side since dawn. Luna smiled, her spirits lifted by the people; their chants weren't simply informative, they were celebratory.

"It's time," Luna whispered happily. She turned and looked to the others assembled throughout the Inn's tavern area; those not already on their feet immediately stood at seeing their Lady look their way. Luna repeated for all of them to hear, "It's time ... it's time to be with the people ... my people."

The most senior member of Luna's Bodyguard, Sir Dava of Tiala, organized the remainder of the Bodyguard and others carrying arms to protect their Lady once she was on the street. As the protectors began emerging onto the street, Sir Dava moved to Luna again, gesturing to a pair of specific men who had unpacked very special items from a case that had been hidden away until now. Sir Dava asked, "M'lady, are you sure this is safe?"

"No, I do not," she answered honestly before adding, "But it is necessary."

Sir Dava gestured the men out the door, and once they'd reached the narrow street, they lifted their special items -- banners that identified who they were escorting -- high into the air before beginning the trek in the general direction of the Castle. As was usual for such a walk, four soldiers led the way, followed by the bannermen; this morning, about half of the remaining armed men followed the bannermen, then Luna and Sir Dava, then Stella and Sir Dava's Lieutenant, the rest of the civilian advisors and guests, and finally the remaining armed men. The entire group walked down the street in a two-man wide column.

The issue that Sir Dava had had with the banners was what they specifically represented. One was Princess Luna's personal banner, the one flown over her wherever she went throughout the Republic outside of her home city of Tiala. Sir Dava had far less issue with this banner than he did the second, which was the banner of the Monarch of the Republic of Yalla. Flying it over Luna was an expressed statement of her right to be sitting atop the throne. Sir Dava's specific worry was that while it appeared that Luna had a great deal of support amongst the people of the Capital, it only took one diehard follower of Nellan to rush forward and put a knife through Luna's heart.

But Luna needed to be seen by the people, and at the same time, she needed to see the people. She needed them to see that she was prepared to wear the crown; she needed them to see that she wasn't afraid that the very recent assassination of the former Heir Apparent might lead to her own killing. Even more, though, she needed to see the people with her own eyes; she needed to see that they were happy with current events.

Initially, the only people Luna's entourage encountered were the few on the streets and the few in their doorways and windows looking out to see what was happening. But Luna had ordered one more thing from Sir Dava, and as they moved forward, the soldiers in the front of the column -- to ensure that all about them knew who was passing by -- spoke variations of, "Make way for Princess Luna, Heir to the Throne of the Republic of Yalla."

As they went on, from the narrow street to a wider one to an open boulevard, the news of Luna's presence had been spreading just as quickly as the news of Nellan's death, and soon the streets were filled with hundreds, then thousands of cheering citizens excited to see their future Queen. As the crowds grew, the trek through the town became more difficult and slower paced; Sir Dava, ignoring Luna's objection, pulled some of the soldiers around their Lady, forming a circle of protection for her.

Eventually, after what had seemed like hours but what actually less than just one of them, they came into sight of the castle. Luna's stomach rolled anxiously as she noticed an extraordinary number of Castle Guardsmen on the wall walk atop the outer curtain. Add to that the fact that next to a second flag of the Republic was Nellan's personal flag, and Luna began to worry that any moment, she and her entourage was going to be mowed down by a combination of archers and mounted swordsmen.

"Sir Dava!" Stella called from behind him with alarm, seeing the same things her Lady had. "Are we sure that..."

But she went silent as she suddenly saw Nellan's flag coming down and, a moment later, Luna's flag rising in its place. The Princess began to notice an increasing number of Castle Guards along their route and again began to worry about an attack from a Nellan loyalist. And yet, each one of them popped to attention and pounded their right fist against their chest as Luna's banner got close to them.

They continued onward, through the outer gate into the ward and up to the inner gate. Here, Luna caught sight of another concern, leaning toward her walking mate to say, "Sir Dava, isn't that ... that's Sir Porrin, if I'm correct. My brother's General of the Army."

Seeing Sir Porrin might not have been too great a concern for Luna on its own, but he was standing before a force of 40 armed and armored men from the Warrior Elite, a special force that was part Bodyguard, part kill squad. Sir Dava must have been concerned as well; he called an order to his armed men, leading to the column to begin hard left and right faces to turn the column into a skirmish line, with the rear half of the men coming forward to provide yet another barrier between the Warrior Elite and the Queen-to-be.

Luna was very impressed with the display of Sir Dava's men, and yet her heart was still pounding hard and fast. The Warrior Elite would dominate the men who'd come with her from the Inn; a fight would be a slaughter, followed by her arrest and/or execution, either immediate or following a trial.

Then, an amazing thing occurred. From behind her, Luna heard the mayhem of dozens of footfalls on the ward's cobblestones. Soon, surrounding her mostly in front but all in the rear and on both sides, were more than a thousand men and women, some of them military, some not; some of them armed, some not; some of them age appropriate for a battle, some of them not.

The crowd of supporters were again chanting Lu-na, Lu-na or simply hollering at the Warrior Elite to stand aside and let Luna into her castle. Fearing that at any moment a battle would in fact break out, Luna began urging everyone to be quiet; it took a good minute or more for the word to pass throughout the crowd, but eventually the inner ward of the castle was so still that you could have heard a dagger drop.

Luna then surprised all those around her by walking forward through the crush of men and women, soldiers and citizens, until she emerged at the front of the pack. Sir Dava and Stella both called for her not to continue, but Luna ignored them and crossed the 60 feet or so from her supporters to the Commander of the force keeping her out of the castle.

"Sir Porrin," she began with a smile on her lips and confidence in her tone, "I have no doubt that you have heard the news of my brother's untimely death ... and I have no doubt that you are aware that that makes me the Heir Apparent to the Throne of Yalla."

She paused to see if he would comment -- either in support of or opposition to what she was saying -- and when he said nothing at all, Luna stepped closer even still, saying softly, "You and your men are the most skilled, most effective soldiers in the Republic ... maybe in the whole of the Known World. I am hoping that you will put that skill and experience to work for me ... as Queen of Yalla."

Sir Porrin studied Luna a moment, looked to the force of soldiers and civilians beyond her, then looked back. Then, the General bowed his upper body to Luna, stood tall again, pulled out his sword -- which caused Luna's heart to skip a beat -- and held it out between the two of them, its blade flat across his opened palms. With a voice loud enough for most everyone in the inner ward to hear, Sir Porrin announced, "My sword is yours ... Queen Luna of the Republic of Yalla."

He lifted a booted foot off the ground and pounded it back down again, leading to the entirety of the Warrior Elite's members pulling their own swords and presenting them in the same fashion. Behind Luna, the crowd -- which had still been building with more and more citizens flooding through the opened gate -- erupted in cheers, whistles, and applause.

Sir Porrin very ceremoniously returned his sword to its scabbard, with the Warrior Elite following suit. Despite the continuing roar of the crowd, he was able to call out an order which caused a very neat and precise reorganizing of his unit's position to open up a wide path through the Castle's inner gate.

"Thank you, Sir Porrin," Luna said as she stepped up closer to him. "You are an honorable man."

With that, Luna looked back to her entourage, jerked her head toward the inner gate, and turned to head inside. Behind here, Sir Dava's unit reformed in its original column and headed in behind their new monarch. Sir Dava came to a stop near Sir Porrin, gesturing to him where the official train of Luna's people ended. Sir Porrin called out another order, and his Warrior Elite once again blocked the entrance to the castle.

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC


During Princess Luna's walk to the castle:

"Prince Nellan is dead ... Prince Nellan is dead..."

Morrow walked out onto the street hearing the same chants that Luna had. He followed the crowds. Unsurprisingly, they were heading for the castle.

Along the way, Morrow took notice of armed men: City Guard, Standing Army, and civilians. Many showed support for Luna as Queen. Many, not most.

Morrow was concerned that the most portion might be an issue. But as he followed the crowd, there were signs that this might not be the issue he thought it was.

Twice, Morrow witnessed City Guard members disarming members of their own organization. He made inquiries of those who seemed informed. The disarming Guards were supporters of the future Queen. They'd been suspicious of the now-disarmed men.

He saw civilians disarming City Guard members, too. The latter were armed. But the former were more numerous and determined. Sometimes, the Guardsmen fought back. Sometimes they drew blood. But in the end, they were always overwhelmed.

Twice more, Morrow came upon civilians supportive of Luna mobbing those who weren't. No one died in these incidents as far as Morrow chosing tell. But the point was made: Nellan was the past, Luna was the future.

He continued onward toward the castle. By the time Morrow passed, Luna's Bodyguard was escorting her, Stella, and the others between the Warrior Elite and through the castle's inner gate.

"You made it," he whispered to himself. "By the Gods, you made it."

Morrow turned away, disappearing into the crowd. He would connect with Luna later. He was in no hurry to step into his new role as the Queen's assassin. He doubted that Luna was either.

There was time.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC


Two days later:

Luna's Advisors had advised Luna that a quick coronation was the better option, and Luna had agreed. But she'd also wanted her supporters to have more time to secure the City and excite the population to her side.

She knew there best way to secure the loyalty of the common people: give them what they needed, then what they wanted. So the first thing she ordered after feeling that she was safe from betrayal was open the Royal Pantry.

Hundreds of sacks of wheat, a thousand pounds of melons, twice that in fruit, and more was hauled out into the streets and marketplace, distributed by the City Guard.

As they did this, word was spread that Luna's coronation would take place the next evening, one hour before sunset. And to make the ceremony more applicable to the people, Luna would be crowned on the Castle's west wall; outside that wall were the tournament grounds, a large, mostly open piece of ground that was normally closed to the common folk but which tomorrow would be open for what Luna hoped would be a magic audience.