Veiled Chaos

"Their opinion of me..." Sera mused. She crouched to wipe the blood off her swords on one of the barbarian's pelts. "I've never given thought to it. Haedria always told me never to care, that the right way to rule is through fear." her brows furrowed again, even as she stowed the swords in their sheaths on the horse's saddle. The black stallion stamped proudly as the princess climbed onto his back. "Normally I would have you fetch the other guards and have the goods of the caravan recovered, but we have yet to find the fields. Come." she commanded, and twitched the horse's reins.

They galloped on, and Sera's normally cheery disposition was sobered. One trip outside the castle opened her eyes quite a lot. She trotted to a halt at the top of a hill. Below them, stretching for several miles, were the fields were Sagna grew its produce. Due to the irrigation system allowing the farmers to direct water from the nearby river into the land, the earth was covered in a layer of water. But as the princess drew closer, she saw that the earth underneath was parched and cracked like desert ground. Dismounting her horse, she inspected the field.

"This is impossible. This just.....This can't be." she muttered in disbelief. Removing a glove, Sera touched the earth under the water and found that it stayed dry. "I know little of magic, but it must be the cause of this. I have to tell Haedria."

Haedria stood, looking out the window of the library where she watched her sister ride off into town, with a palace guard in tow. She had been standing there for quite a while, thinking.
Sera's left the castle, without my orders. And with a man. the queen drew her dagger and gently stroked its blade.
Perhaps Sera has grown tired of my company? Have I held her too closely? she turned away from the window, her back straight and poise perfect. Yet her weakness showed when she sat at the head of a long table. Her hands shook as she held her dagger. Does Sera truly wish to be with me anymore?
Her heart began to ache and tears clouded her vision. I have no one but her. I only wish her to be happy and free, but if she would be so without me... the dagger fell to the table with a clatter as the queen leaned against it, gripping her head tightly. Tears fell and found their way into cracks in the wood. I couldnt bear to lose her.

Darkmin turned his head towards the Princess, "It's a matter of preference really, fear is a strong motivator undoubted, but you've seen the result, the peasant folk hide from their princess fearing for their lives." Taking a stand Darkmin wiped his gauntlets off upon the furs of one of the dead warriors he had collected. "Ah, sorry your highness I find myself rambling when it isn't my place to do so."

Darkmin pursued the Princess on his borrowed horse coming across the dry and cracked fields. "This is certainly unnatural, Your highness before we alert your sister perhaps we should investigate the situation. Talk to the locals, see when they first noticed the problem, and if anyone suspicious or foreign has been around the fields and the surrounding farmland lately. Perhaps even establish a peasant watch." Darkmin placed his gauntlet under his chin thoughtfully.

"You've a point, guardsman." Sera smiled a bit as she mounted the horse again. "Though would you be so kind as to interrogate the farmers? I fear they would shy away from me." the princess absentmindedly ran a hand through her red hair. She wished she brought a cloak to conceal her image.

The queen stifled her sobs and calmed her shaking. She turned her thoughts from Sera by sheer force of will, angrily stabbing the dagger into the table. She turned away and rifled through the castle's vast collection of tomes for anything concerning magic. The dagger stuck up with its wicked point embedded in the wood.

Darkmin nodded to Sera, "Yes your Majesty." With that Darkmin turned and rode off towards the farm building in the distance. Spotting a small group of peasants gathered outside he rode towards ignoring the fear in their faces as a guard of the palace approached them. Darkmin raised a hand, "Hail, a moment of your time." he announced dismounting his horse he approached the peasant folk.

The faces of the peasants paled, "W-we're sorry sire we were just talkin' about the fields and," Darkmin rolled his eyes, "Ease yourself you've done nothing wrong I'm here to ask about the fields." The peasants, visible were confused and relieved by this. "Oh thank you sire, well what would you ask of us?"

Darkmin looked back to make sure Sera was still behind him, "I want to question all of you farmers, to find out when this first began occurring, among other things."

Sera idled atop her horse, who decided it was the perfect time to eat some grass. She watched the guard as he approached the peasants, a bit envious that he could talk to them with ease. For the first time in a while, she looked down at herself and her riding gear, and saw the familiar red streaks of blood. The crimson color reminded her of her sister. With a sigh, she looked back towards the hill where the castle stood.

One of the older men looked to the others, who shook their heads. They did not want to speak to the guard themselves. "Aye, it started sometime after th' last harvest. We plowed and planted and watered, but still the land was parched. Nothing has grown since. That was maybe half a moon ago. We've waited and hoped the seeds would latch upon the earth, but as y'can see..." he waved to the barren fields.
"I remember a man robed in fine silks pass through here half a moon ago." a little boy piped up from behind his big brother. "He didnt say anything, only stopped by the edge of the field. He had a disc on his belt. Silver and with a bird." the little boy flapped his arms to imitate a bird in flight.

Darkmin looked down at the boy and his expression softened, taking his helmet off and placing it on the ground next to him he kneelled down in front of the boy, "Did ya lad, could you recall what he looked like? which direction he came from and where he went after?" Darkmin smiled gently doing his best to give a welcoming aura to the boy.

Thoughts raced inside his head despite his calm exterior. "Half a moon ago, I don't know how long the moon cycles last in Sagna I will need to relay this info to the Princess and she what she makes of it.

The boy's eyes widened like saucers. He had never seen a palace guard up close before. He swallowed. "He had his hood up, so I couldnt see his face. An' an' his his leg was weird so he walked like this." he pantomimed a really bad limp. "He came from there, then went back the way he came. I don' think he talked to anybody when he was here. I only saw because papa had me picking berries in the forest." the boy had motioned to the west.

Haedria was frustrated. With all the information she's found, it was all useless as she had no ties to the magical forces of the world. There was a sorcerer she could have approached for help, but she killed him after he enchanted the black dagger. She scooped up the dagger and stormed out of the library, calling to her attendants.
"Have a selection of prisoners armed with their preferred weapon. They are to fight me in the practice yard." she said, and a pair of servants bowed and scurried off. The queen retreated into her chambers where she threw open the door to her dressing room. She picked out soft leather breeches and a dark blue jacket with a high collar. Her practice clothes. Slipping on a pair of knee high boots, the queen paused only to retrieve her prized rapier from its stand. Her hand hovered over the accompanying parrying dagger, but she left it in its place. She would use the black dagger instead.

Darkmin smiled and nodded to the lad, "Thank you lad for your help." Standing up Darkmin pulled out the coin purse containing the money gathered from the dead Barbarians and began handing coins to the villagers, A thank you from me to you for the assistance." The peasants went slack jawed with shock, some pinched one another to try and awaken from this dream; they were being paid by a guard and he wasn't arresting for maiming them but thanking them for their assistance. "One more thing you could help me with," Darkmin added as he handed the last of the coins out. "Anything Mi'lord" cried out one of the peasants" Darkmin turned and smiled, "If you could form a watch, if you and your neighbours could keep your eyes and ears open for any sign of that sorcerer, or any other suspicious folk for that matter, take turns watching at night I will be most thankful for your aid." Darkmin took his gauntlet off his hand and held it out to the older man from earlier who slowly realizing the gesture took Darkmin's hand and shook it enthusiastically, "Aye Mi'lord we will, thank you for your generosity."

Darkmin smiled and walked back to the princess replacing his gauntlet and mounting Yuley, the brown horse and rode up to Sera. "Your Majesty!" His voice boomed across the field with power and authority, "The peasants have been most helpful, they spotted a hooded sorcerer coming from the forest half a moon ago before the fields began to fail. He walked with a limp in his right leg and wore a belt with a silver disc engraved with the emblem of a bird. his robes were silk, and he also left the way he came." Darkmin pointed out towards the forest. "The peasants have also agreed to form a watch to keep an eye out for any suspicious folk. Your Majesty thank you for allowing me to accompany you." Darkmin added a bow for good measure.

Sera beamed as the guard relayed his news. "Thank you! You've done a great service for Sagna and a great asset to- wait." the princess's eyes clouded. "Did you say silver, with an emblem of a bird?" her thoughts raced and her grip on her horse's reins tightened till her knuckles turned white. "That bastard! Half a moon -his sorcerer came at least 15 days ago, how far away is his camp?" she muttered, her hands started to shake. With an enraged roar, the princess spurred her horse into a mad gallop back to the castle, her hair fanning out like flames behind her.
The nearby farmers paled as they realized how close one of the Red Sisters came to their homes.

A dozen of the castle prisoners were assembled in a ragged line in the castle's practice yard. They were men and women dressed in bloodied rags, weak from hunger and thirst. Guards kept the men in line with a sharp word, but without points of swords. The queen arrived with her rapier at her side. Her eyes narrowed in distaste at the sight of such pathetic targets. "Whoever is successful in drawing my blood will be granted freedom and pardon." her voice boomed, and the prisoners looked at each other nervously. They took hold of their sharpened swords, spears, and axes. Those with shields held them at the ready. The queen smiled and drew her rapier, holding it at the guard position. "Come." she said.

One large man with biceps bigger than the queen's head grinned. He rushed forward and swung his heavy axe, hoping to cleave the young monarch's head off. Haedria ducked easily, allowing the axe to fly harmlessly past her face. She thrust outward with the rapier, its sharp point finding purchase in the man's exposed side. The blade went in half way with most of it sticking out of the man's body already slick with blood. The brute roared and stumbled back, his powerful shoulders working for another swing. Haedria ducked to his left side and flipped the dagger into a reverse grip. She deftly slashed at the man's side, cleaving his flesh. The bloody peek of organs showed through the cut. He fell to his knees with a pained groan and the queen silenced it by thrusting the rapier through his neck and severing his spine. He fell silent and dead upon the practice field.

Haedria held the rapier at the guard position again. Her eyes shone with cold focus and her mouth was set in a determined line. She made no roar of rage as Sera so often did. She set her jaw and flipped her dagger into a parrying position. "I said, come."

Darkmin's face furrowed with concern as the princess raced towards the castle, "Hyah!" He cried as his horse began pursuit. 'She clearly has some idea of the culprit, how intriguing I wonder if I am supposed to know who this person is myself?' Safely decided not to ask the Princess and learn in time the situation. Following a safe distance from the Princess the two rode towards the castle up to the gates. Guards cried out as men scrambled to open the gates at the Princess' arrival. Darkmin followed her into the courtyard.

Sera didnt pause as she rode through the castle gates. She called for some guards to recover the goods from the wrecked caravan just on the outskirts of town.
"Where is Haed- where is the queen?" she demanded of the guard who reached for the bridle of her horse.
"Her Majesty is in the training yard by the barracks, your High-" the guard wasnt able to finish his sentence as Sera purred on her horse and galloped towards the training yard, practically screaming her sister's name.

The sand of the training yard was littered with dead bodies and blood. Of the dozen prisoners, only two were left. One young man circled the queen carefully with his shield up, crouching into it so only his face from the eyes up could be seen. The other circled counter-clockwise from the first, and he held a long trident at the ready. The queen stood still with her eyes closed and her rapier at her chest. None so far have managed to land so much as a scratch on her. Her eyes flashed open as she heard one of her opponents move towards her.
"Haedria!" Sera roared, galloping madly into the yard. Seeing her sister surrounded by armed men, instinct took over as she drew her swords and leapt from her horse. She hit the sands rolling, immediately bringing a sword up to meet a swinging trident. With a fierce snarl she spun and split the prisoner's gut, then thrust both swords into his chest and threw him into the other's shield. He fell, knocked back by the trident wielder's body. The prisoner groaned with the effort of pushing dead weight off him and when he did, his torso was exposed. Sera jumped and brought twin blades down into his chest, expertly aimed at heart and throat.

"Sister, are you alright? What's going on?" the princess demanded, whirling upon the queen.
"It was a simple spar..." the queen started, but Sera dropped her swords and hugged her sister tightly.
"Gods above I thought you were in danger!"
"I was never in any danger-"
"Well the entirety of the kingdom is!"
"What?"
"Theoleas is here! Here, within the kingdom!"
"What!"

Darkmin rode casually into the courtyard and dismounted. Patting the horde on the side it trotted off to the stables calmly. The Princess' actions were troubling to Darkmin, 'She certainly recognized who it was, I need to know if I should be concerned or not with this .....Sorcerer running about the kingdom.'

Darkmin straightened his posture and began to walk in the direction the Princess ran screaming, he still bore the stolen axe upon his waist belt and the furs were draped over his shoulder garnering looks from all he passed but no one raised to question him. No one seemed to talk in this Kingdom easily.

For what it was worth Darkmin had enjoyed his stay in Sagna thus far, the fresh air and fresh canvas for scheming was delightful. Already several worthy plans had been forming inside his head. The first and foremost being to take on the appearance of an Eastern Shores slave to be granted to the sisters as a gift by the Barbarian King. His forewarning to the trap should also make him gracious to the form Darkmin decided upon making him a potentially useful ally. Further one he was within the Kingdom he could slowly work to manipulate Sera. The young Princess already proved herself vulnerable to it as a mere guard he had managed to invite himself along for one of her escapades and preform admirably in her presence. If he could somehow manage to put Haedria and Sera at odds the fallout would be delightfully destructive. As he thought this he turned into the Sparring ring full of corpses with Sera in the middle clinging to Haedria like she would blow away if she loosened at all, the two had dire looks upon their faces. Darkmin felt his own face hardening in seriousness as he stood quietly by the entrance, perhaps putting the two at odds would be more challenging than he thought.

"How did you know about this?" Haedria demanded, stowing her rapier and dagger in her belt. Sera recounted her adventure through the town and the encounter with the barbarians and the cursed fields.
"And the guardsman helped to set up a watch among the farmers, so they may report any further movement." she ended, a bit out of breath.
"The guardsman, you say." Haedria said coldly, her shrewd gaze easily finding the guard with one blind eye. He still had the furs and weapons taken off the barbarians, as Sera had said.
The princess knew that look. "Oh dear sister, no. Please no. He did so much for our kingdom!" she pleaded. With a quick glance, she saw her sister's fingers trail towards the dagger.
Haedria shut her eyes and exhaled slowly. "Fine. Only because you favor him so highly. You, guardsman. I would have words with you." she called the guard over.

Darkmin approached the Queen without hesitation and knelled before her, her eyes showed resentment towards him. did Haedria not want the Sorcerer investigated? No it was more likely that she was barely in control of her possessiveness over the Princess, "Your Majesty," Darkmin began, "I am not sure what further there is I could add the Princess summed up the events quite nicely. Though I apologize for being unable to assist her in battle, to be frank by the time I had dismounted my steed she had already slain the last Barbarian." Despite the seriousness of this encounter Darkmin's mind wandered to the furs on his shoulder, they were actually very comfortable and he regretted not stealing more. That brief and fuzzy distraction aside Darkmin made sure to observe the Queen, she seemed unstable, a perfect recipe for disaster. Although the Princess did stand up for him a thought which amused and intrigued Darkmin. Perhaps this was the sign of a crack in their relationship, one he would erode over time into a chasm?

"That is quite alright. My sister has always had a habit for rushing into battle." the queen looked pointedly at Sera before turning back to the guardsman. "I understand you have done quite a lot in assistance to the kingdom, even without order. Gratitude." she bowed her head slightly, before fixing her cold half-lidded eyes on the man again. "I would have your assistance in another matter. Take a patrol of soldiers from the barracks and establish a surveillance point towards the northern boundary of the town. The barbarian king is due for arrival tomorrow, and I would have eyes and ears within the town looking out for treachery from that mongrel scum." the words left her mouth with obvious distaste. She glanced back and Sera briefly, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. The queen turned and left the training yard without ordering her sister by her side. Sera gave an awkward smile and mouthed "thank you" to the guard before scurrying off after Haedria.

"Yes your Majesty" Darkmin nodded, 'How perfect, being banished will allow me to meet the Barbarian King first. This punishment will be beneficial.' Darkmin noticed Sera giving him smile and thanks before following off after Haedria, 'perhaps I have wormed my way into Sera's heart? I wish I could observe the interaction about to occur between the two, but alas I have real work to do.'

Standing upright Darkmin marched off to the barracks, he was quickly memorizing the layout of the castle and was becoming more integrated. Walking into the guard quarters her placed a stern look on his face and announced loudly. " Gather up the queen has given orders! All guardsmen at the barracks are to form and a patrol on the northern border of the town we are to be the queen's eyes and ears for the oncoming Barbarian Envoy due to meet with Her Majesty tomorrow!"

Darkmin's sudden appearance and shouting startled the resting guards who formed up around him, many wondered who this guard was wearing the furs of the Barbarian and carrying one of their axes alongside his sword. He shouted of orders, was he a captain? Although many of the guardsmen felt uncomfortable the consequences of if this guard did carry the Queens orders and they disobeyed or sent a man to ask her could be dire. Thought they had little time to question Darkmin as he had already wandered back into the courtyard, he cried loudly and shouting was heard from the stables as Yuley, the wild worse from early kicked away a stablehand and bounded over to Darkmin.

"Haedria?" the princess called, questioning. It had been a full minute of just the two of them alone and the queen hadnt moved to hold her. It just wasnt like her sister. "Please sister, what weighs your mind? Is it the guard?"
"No, Sera." Haedria answered curtly. She removed her hide gloves and handed them to a stoic attendant as she walked through the castle.
"The barbarians then? And Theoleas?" Sera walked a bit faster to catch up with the queen, and grabbed the elder's hand, stopping her. "Did I do something wrong?" the younger girl pleaded.
Haedria yanked her arm away from her sister and stormed past her. "Ohhh, it's always you, Sera. It's always you." she said so coldly that the princess froze in her tracks.
"What did I do? Haedria, I'm sorry! Please, what did I do?"
"I can't be with you right now Sera."
"But Haedria!"
"I said leave me be!"

The queen slammed the door that led to the dungeon. Stunned, Sera stood rooted to the spot as she watched the queen go. Moments later, she heard the most agonized scream she ever heard come from the dungeons. Even after years of inflicting the most exquisite torture, this sound of pain shook her to her core and scared her. She was never scared like this before. The princess unconsciously wrung her hands. Why was the queen so mad?

Down in the dungeon, Haedria stabbed and stabbed and stabbed with her dagger. Over and over the black blade found purchase in soft flesh. The blood that splattered onto her grim face obscured the tears that fell.

Darkmin rode Yuley casually through the town towards the northern boarder, he of course did not know which direction north was so he had asked for directions from a peasant with a polite smile and the aid of a couple of coins. He checked behind him to see that the guards were slow to mobilize, perhaps still wondering who he was, although a handful of them were gathering at the palace gates. Darkmin himself had made it all the way to the northern boarder without seeing many guards following him.

One guard nervously walked up to Princess Sera, "Your M-majesty," he said without trying to look her in the eye. "Captain Tultrin has sent me to confirm the Orders of The Queen, of both the new promotion and the northern border patrol?" He did not like being scapegoated in the slightest and regretted full heartedly making fun of Captain Tultrin behind his back while the Captain was behind his.

"Hmm? What?" The princess looked up at the guard, distracted. "Oh yes, the northern patrol. The queen did give orders to mobilize a squad to watch for the barbarian convoy. She told the guard with the blind eye." she winced inwardly, wishing she got that guard's name. A sudden drawn out scream, so loud it practically rattled the stones of the castle, erupted from the dungeon. Sera cast a worried look toward the dungeon entrance. That was Haedria's voice. "You may go now." she distractedly waved the soldier away.

Haedria crudely hacked part of a man's head off with her dagger, tossed it aside, and ripped the remainder with a feral scream. She held the severed head with shaking hands and stared into the dead man's eyes for a while. Her breath came in ragged gasps. The queen violently hurled the head across the room where it hit the stone wall with a wet thud.
The shaking increased till the queen found herself crouched on the floor, hugging her shoulders in a tight grip.
What's happening? I saw the way she looked at the guard. And the prince. And the young farmer. Haedria tried with all her might to stifle her sobs. I'm losing her. And now I'm losing the kingdom as well.

The young guards eyes widened in fear at the scream, had demons infested the castle? Panicking the familiarity of the voice caused the slow realization that the psychotic shriek was in fact the Head of State Queen Haedria. "Uh y ys I'll inform Captain Tultrin of the New Captain ....One ...Eye." He murmured before fleeing for his life.
Ah the Bravery of Sagna Guardsman is truly unmatched.

Yuley neighed happily munching on some delicious meadow Grass as Darkmin lay against a hill watching the Sun set, "How beautiful the sun is in this Kingdom." He smiled to himself, something inside him pulsed with energy deep in his core he could already feel the world destabilizing. such feeling was pure joy. Breathing in deep he lazily noted that no guardsmen had followed him here, not a problem he just needed to meet the Barbarian King, not protect anybody from him.

A tall man with a dirty moustache and a mutton leg halfway down his gullet coughed and spluttered when the young recruit returned to him with the news. "WHAT!?" He bellowed, a fine mist of lamb particles sprayed into the air, a couple of rotten teeth poking from his nasty food filled maw. "The queen has," He muttered despicable curses under his breath before raging into another shouted. "PROMOTED THAT ROTTEN ONE EYE NO ONE TO CAPTAIN?" A gauntleted hand slammed down onto a many times dented table. "Grah I should, hmm what should I do." He muttered quietly not even noticing the young guard slipping out "That's it!" The rusted gears for brains churned out an idea. "Alright I'm going to gather up my own contingent of guards and protect the Northern boarder from those Barbarian low-lives and put that New Captain ...One-Eye to shame!" Standing up from his table Tultrin walked his way to the Barracks to gather up the unsuspecting guards. 'Ha the Queen won't even be mad t me, the fool only brought half regiment, I can just say I was reinforcing and showing that low-blood the ropes of captain hood." Tultrin tugged his uniform down over his gut and wiped his greasy maw with his glove. "All tight you slackers I want 15 men to come with me to the northern border of the town we are watching for Barbarian under the Queens orders."

"But Captain the New captain has already taken a squ -"

A mailed fist narrowly missed the voice, "That brainless wretch hasn't even brought a full regiment I am taking it upon my Gracious self to reinforce him and ensure that he does not make Sagna look like a Kingdom of fools!" Several guardsmen murmured knowing full well the Captain's likely motives. "Alright Saddle up, have the stable master bring my new steed!"

"The Brown one sir?"

"OF COURSE THE BROWN ONE YOU IDIOT!" Lamb Particles fired from tultrin's mouth like a cannon spraying the hapless guard.

"But sir, the New captain has already taken that horse with him."

The voice of rage erupting from the courtyard could practically be heard from town, it was a fat man's raging cries of "ONE-EYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile Yuley munched happily on grass whilst her lightweight rider lounged on the hill.

It was dusk when the queen finally emerged from the dungeon. The strength was gone from her and her eyes were glazed over. She walked without her usual grace, looking more like the dejected peasants in the town than the queen of the kingdom.
"Haedria?" Sera asked cautiously. Haedria looked up, her face a mask of exhaustion and her always perfect hair in a complete mess. "Sera. Were you here the whole time?" the queen asked. The younger girl had been waiting for hours outside the dungeon. Waiting for her sister to calm down. She was still dressed her her bloodied riding clothes.
Haedria looked into Sera's eyes and felt her heart's dull ache. Was it love or pity she saw in those eyes? The queen sighed heavily and ran a bloodied hand through her hair. "Go to bed, sister. We have a long day ahead."
"Please Haedria, don't push me away. It's not like you." Sera said gently. She reached to hold the older girl's hand. This time Haedria was too tired to pull away.
"It may be so. But what are you like? What do you actually want? I admit, I've never really known." the queen answered wistfully, and turned away, walking tiredly to her chambers. The queen seemed to shrink into herself as she hugged her arms. Sera could only look on, confused and concerned.
"But I want to be with you." the princess whispered into the cold air.

As the the night rolled in a billowing cloud of smoke rose in the distance. "What the?" Darkmin quickly rose to his feet. 'Smoke, Fire, Night, Rest, Camp, People, Barbarians?' Turning to mount his Horse The guards that had gathered while he rested stood to attention, "Captain we are sorry for the delay," Pausing momentarily in stunned confusion, 'Captain? They followed me? Did I get promoted while I wasn't looking?

"Ah there you are Captain One-Eye," A greasy voice called out with obvious disdain placed upon the word captain, a fat man in ill fitting armour rode up on an out of breath grey horse. "Lazing about on the job already I see, well it's a good thing that the queen has ordered me to relieve you of this, patrol and send you scampering off back to the Castle."

Darkmin stared blankly at the fat man with little humour in his face, and who are you?" He called back.

The Man's face turned red even in the coming night, " Who am ..." The man began sputtering like a windbag and the men he had arrived with began pulling the horses back to avoid the on coming wrath, " I am Captain Tultrin you ignorant buffoon! I don't know where you get your smug attitude, stealing my horse, and taking my men out on some patrol like you own the guard but let me make things clear I am your senior, I am in charge here!" If you'd like confirmation you can go and ask the queen." Tultrin smiled smugly, having One-Eye ask the queen would only serve to annoy her and give him the opportunity to be rid of a rival.

Darkmin smiled casual, "Well then before I head back to the castle I'd best be off to check the watch, the Princess has entrusted me with another matter I must attend to, you're welcome to take charge of the watch, Tultrin." Mounting Yuley with ease  he turned his horse and darted off into the darkness before the fat man could sputter "That's CAPTAIN TULTRIN!!!"

Darkmin's smile persisted as he rode out of sight from the guards. Instead of heading to the farmland however he pulled Yuley to a halt and dismounted. "Thank you for your assistance today Yuley, please wait here for me I have an errand to run." The horse neighed in acknowledgement tortting in place as Darkmin walked into the dark forest.

The woods creaked, hooted and growled as Darkmin eyed the direction the smoke billowed from. With a deep breath he dropped the axe and furs to the ground, his body glowing softly as the armour faded into light from his body. 'It will be easier to move into the camp without a form.' He thought as the body of One-eyes began to smoulder and smoke disappearing into a cloud of black mist. Which proceeded to move through the forest.
No animals or creatures approached this mass of darkness as it slithered through the woods for several hours coming to the edge of the great woods he could see the red of fire, hear the laughter of men, and smell the roasting of meat. A shimmering light poured from his core as he hastily reformed into the form of the traveller he used earlier in the day at the tavern.

quietly Darkmin approached the camp, sharp eyes alerted him to the presence of a watch as he walked towards them, they had already strung their bows and pointed arrows at him. "Halt Stranger you approach our camp what business have you?" One of the Barbarian men called out, in his native tongue. The politeness pleasing Darkmin he removed his robe to reveal himself unarmed, "I'm seeking an audience with your King, I'd like to give him some information that could help with his upcoming audience with Haedria the Tyrant of Sagna." Speaking back in the Barbarian's language startled the watchmen as he turned to the senior warrior by his side, "He Speaks our language, do we let him in?" He whispered keeping his eyes on the weary traveller before him.

The senior warrior grunted and nodded to the largest tent in the camp. "If it's about that bloody bitch, the king ought to know about it." he said. He escorted the traveler through the barbarian camp, steadfastly ignoring the curious looks of the other fur-clad men who were armed to the teeth. The warrior drew back the cloth of the king's tent, bowed briefly, and left to return to his post.

The barbarian king was a tall, heavily muscled man with thick scars across his chest and arms. His long beard was as dark as his eyes. The garment he wore wrapped around his body was a bear pelt, with the beast's head draped over his shoulder. He was sitting on a chair large enough to support his weight with his wrapped fur boots up on a low table. "Aye, what do ye want?" he said gruffly, taking a swig from a stein. One hand lazily dropped to his side, where a large axe rested.

Haedria collapsed onto her bed. She only had time to remove her bloodied clothes and wash her hands and face before falling onto the sheets in exhaustion. The queen quickly fell into a deep but troubled sleep, so she did not hear her door open and Sera creep in. The younger girl quietly pulled back one of the bed's curtains, revealing Haedria's naked form. Sera noticed how fragile her sister looked, and how her hands clutched fitfully at the sheets and blanket. For once, she did not have a hold on the dagger. Sera gently slid into bed and slept beside the queen, not quite touching her but hoping her presence gave some small comfort.

Darkmin bowed respectfully as the King addressed him, Darkmin looked up and took note of the King, 'We won't want some long winded speech full of praise and flattery, "Your Majesty I bring you something to aid you in your upcoming negotiations with Haedria of Sagna, information. The price for this information is a small favour, no gold, no treasure, no slaves, or positions of power. All that I ask is that you help me place a, shall we say friend into the court of the Queen." Darkmin stood perfectly still keeping the King at a respectable distance.

The barbarian king snorted. He swung his heavy legs off the table and leaned one big arm on his knee. "Information, in exchange for a friend in the Sagnian court?" he barked a short laugh. "Well that isnt up to me now is it? That bloody tyrant will take who she pleases." he took another swig and belched. "Who are ye anyway, to have come across information you think is valuable to me?