Deceptions and Plots in the Dark

Rhazian or Rhaz as his sisters called him pleasured Morwen on his knees. She was laid back in a felted, red chair that she lounged in. The room was dark as all Dark Elf rooms, this was her sitting room. A Dark Elf slave dressed all in black came and deposited more wine spiced with Nymph blood into her pewter goblet that looked like 2 snakes eating one another. Their mouths opened up widely which held the succulent drink she now enjoyed.

The ceiling was as a large ribcage made of obsidian and stone, carved intricately to give the small space an ominous, pleasing feel to it. The slave didn’t look at them, slaves who looked at their masters without permission were usually flogged or worse and he left silently as Rhazian did his work on Morwen’s center. She sighed contently and groaned at what he was doing, she was 3rd in line with her other 5 sisters. 3rd might as well have been 6th as far as she was concerned but she had a plot that was going to change everything!

Rhazian, her younger brother was the last male survivor of their house. He survived by knowing his place and always being extremely good at everything he did. He hardly ever failed in a task once it was given and the Infernal Mother herself blessed him with Moon Rune, a very rare gift. In the Dark Elf world males were inferior in every way to females. Morwen held dominance over her lover who was also her brother. Many of her sisters used Rhaz for pleasure if they were too lazy to seek out other means. He was a busy man but when he was summoned he came and did whatever it was he was told to do. Dark Elf women hardly ever asked. Where they pointed he went like a dog and on all fours as he was now, he was ‘her’ dog. She patted him on his head as she moaned.

“Are you clear on what it is you are to do Rhaz?” She asked and sighed. “Yes Morwen, I am to capture the Bosmer Advisor, learn from him all I can, drain his blood, make the visage potions and take his place. I understand completely,” he said. Morwen sipped her wine as she listened to what she had laid out for him.

Morwen, for the last couple of years had been visiting Authiel Talendor, a nobly born wood elf who lost in her bid to be made Aegis, one of the highest military positions that existed. She was edged out by another due to Queen Verya Laurelen's recommendation. Queen Verya who had done much to sew an uneasy but effective peace between her people and those of their high elf neighbors.

All the races who lived overland bothered Morwen. And she had spent years formulating a plot to have them all at one another’s throats before it was done. With that much blood on her hands her mother would have no choice but to elevate her ahead of her other 2 sisters. She reached down and opened herself up to help him. “Yeah Rhaz...right there,” she groaned and sipped her wine. “But you’ve only heard half, less than half of what I’ve been doing...listen and mark well,” she said as she gripped at his hair.

Morwen hated being the third born female. She was forced to work harder than she wished to in order to have any possibility of moving ahead of her other sisters. However, Morwen would settle for no less than being the highest ranking female in their household. The more power Morwen held the happier she was. And if she wasn't happy then she took it out on those around her, especially her only brother Rhaz. For a long time she had felt that Rhaz was as worthless as her other, now deceased, brothers whom no one ever spoke of. However, Rhaz had surprised her and she had realized that he was intelligent and therefore perhaps useful to her. Morwen had taken on many lovers over her lifetime, but she felt the most pleasure with Rhaz. Perhaps it was because he was her brother that heightened the sense of pleasure she felt with him, or perhaps it was because she had truly been the one to train him on how to pleasure females. Whatever the reason was she didn't care. She used him...and often.

Morwen was crafty and cunning and extremely beautiful for a dark elf. She also possessed magical abilities that she finally realized she could use to her advantage in her quest for more power and her brother was to play a pivotal role. The high elves and the wood elves had been engaged in war for close to 15,000 years. It was said that the two races had once been one and the same, but the wood elves had split off and moved into the deep, dense Forest of the Silverlake and the war had begun soon after. Morwen would have been content to allow their war to continue forever, but when the King of the Wood Elves had been killed his daughter, Verya, had assumed the throne. A High Elf had killed her father and a bloody battle had been waged right after she had been crowned, but now the High Elves were wanting to discuss peace with the young Queen. Verya was hesitant but her advisor had eased her hesitation and talks of peace had started. However, Morwen knew that true peace was far off and a plot had begun to form in her head. All she needed to do was to get rid of the Queen's current advisor and put her brother in his place. For the past few years she had been getting further and further into the head of Authiel Talendor, a cousin to the Queen, who was angry at having been overlooked to be made Aegis of the Wood Elves. Morwen had seized upon her anger and jealousy and stoked those fires within her.

She threw her head back against the chair and groaned loudly as she gripped Rhaz's hair tightly in her fingers. Her body trembled as she came and she could hear her brother sucking and licking the juices that flowed out of her. Finally, she sat up and pushed him back and looked at him.

"Now, listen to me well Rhaz for if you screw this up I will kill you...slowly...so slowly that you will be begging me to finish you off. I haven't come this far to lose now and I am trusting you to complete this mission for me."

Morwen then spent the next hour laying out the remainder of her plan to Rhaz. She had begun to plant illicit thoughts into the head of Authiel regarding the Queen's advisor. He had a mate and two children, and so Authiel was fighting her, but slowly those thoughts had begun to consume her mind. By the time Authiel acted upon those thoughts Rhaz would have assumed his form. Once Authiel was completely under the spell of Rhaz, he would begin turning her against peace with the High Elves. Together they would kill Queen Verya, but place the blame upon the High Elves, thus re-starting the war. Authiel would then assume the throne with Rhaz continuing to plant thoughts into her head. Authiel would become her puppet in this war and once they had all killed each other Morwen would kill Authiel and then take her place not only at the head of her family, but she would be worshipped among the Dark Elves as well.

"Do you understand what you are to do Rhaz?"

Rhaz licked his fingers and wiped off his face as he nodded. “I do Morwen, I will not fail,” he said confidently. “But...do I really have to...touch...her?” He asked. Her full armed slap made him cower but she had given him all the answer he needed. “I will not fail,” he repeated and looked up to see her grinning down at him. Torturing him would give her pleasure he knew and so he vowed to himself...he would not fail!

Rhaz was no ordinary Dark Elf. he possessed a Moon Rune. he, himself could open the portals that allowed access to the Citadel. The Infernal Mother touched him physically, unheard of for a Male and that gave him special status and respect. Morwen would still torture him though and only because she loved to hear him scream.

He had 3 of his most trusted killers with him and Yuma, his stunted Gargoyle. She hovered up above him as he packed his things. She handed him a silvered brush and he set it into his bag made of hardened goblin skins.

“What we doin this fer?” he said. She was always so curious about everything. “Why not jus kill dems elves up dere?” she suggested. She loved killing. She loved to maim more, she had long, sharp claws and loved to employ them. She wasn’t as powerful as her larger cousins but she was sly and sneaky. She could get into places they could not and act intelligently instead of blindly following instructions.

“I don like ya havin ta…’mate’ with these elves boss...lemme kill em fer ya...please!” She begged and flew down to lay face up on his bed. She draped herself over his bag dramatically. “Give us a kiss an i’ll kill em all fer ya Razzy,” she said and her eyes glowed a bright red. She loved and desired Rhazian. He had taken part in her creation but something his 5th sister did had gone wrong. Or right he supposed if you took time to consider it. Gargoyles and other golems had their uses certainly but Yuma was special. She had a feminine shape which was uncommon for gargoyles. And her flesh was smooth, like granite and much harder too. “Off!” He snapped and she moved so he could finish packing.

-----------------------

Estindil looked up at her son. She may never see him again and though her face was near without expression her heart worried for him. Neither she nor his father believed in what he had been chosen to do but the recent war had killed so many of them. They were losing this war and it was thought that peace would only delay the inevitable. Queen Laurelen was no better than her father in that regard. Now their only son was to go and murder her. There would be no glory or songs to be sung for this deed. It was altogether wrong but all knew it had to be done. Aedael was one of the most skilled warriors. He knew the weirding way of combat and his death would bring the end to an art form that had existed for millennia. Estindil was a renowned artist and had taught it to him herself. She learned it purely for the artistic nature of it, not for it’s use in combat. Aedael’s art however was combat and armed with this way of fighting he was very good at what he does. She set Laica, his sword into his scabbard as he knelt before her.

“Why do you look at me so mother?” Aedael asked. It was not like her to be so...emotional. Like most high elves, she was always able to contain her emotions deep within her mind. “Have you seen something?” he asked calmly, his light blue eyes looking at her. She saw the future sometimes like many high elves and he wondered if she had seen something recently.

Estindil looked at her son and felt a wave of emotions come over her. She loved him deeply and they had always shared a close mother-son relationship. He was her only son and thus very special to her. And so knowing that he was to go and kill Queen Verya to end this war was heartbreaking for her. He would likely be caught and killed on the spot without a word. 15,000 years this war had been going on and it had to end. There had been talks of peace, but there were many who did not want peace between themselves and the Wood Elves and so it was feared that this war would continue forever. Even so the murder of Queen Verya would not be taken lightly among the High Elves...particularly since her father had also been murdered by one of their own.

However, Estindil watched her son pack without a word. She could see him eyeing her suspiciously and when he asked her if she had seen something she kept her expression as neutral as possible.

"I see...many things Aedael. When it comes to Queen Verya I have seen several outcomes and I know not which will come to pass. However, what I do see each time is a darkness surrounding her. Be careful my son and follow your heart. It will always guide you to the correct answer."

What Estinidil did not reveal to her son was that in one of her visions she had seen himself and Verya falling in love and him protecting her. She did not want to influence him in any way. She did not know what the true outcome would be of this endeavor, but secretly she hoped he would not kill Verya.

The horses below moved in single file through the trees. The forest was thick here, the large, golden barked trees made Rhazian frown. He didn’t like trees unless they were the Black Cahlin, the poisonous, stunted things that grew in the Underdark. The Golden Aera trees were planted long ago by the elves before they had split into the two races of elves that existed now. There were less of them now, far less but they stood tall and strong here, their canopies doing much to shade the area below them from sunlight. Yuma held Rhazian above them as his men struck. From the brush and rocks they came at the riders, an ambush and Yuma dropped Rhazian who fell down toward them. He landed on one of the guardsmen, his neck breaking with a ‘snap’ and he stood on his saddle as his whip lashed out at this Advisor Drelnith. It wrapped itself around his neck and he pulled him from his horse. The others slashed throats, thighs, wrists, and stomachs. Precise strikes to bring upon certain death albeit not necessarily immediate. Dark Elves reveled in the pain of others and the wood elves groaned and cried out save for the female who was just knocked unconscious and Trikan who choked ar Rhazian pulled on his whip. The woman would be kept for sport for later where she will wish she had been killed as the rest…

In the cave that a burrower had made for them they began their interrigation of the advisor. A burrower was a large, worm-like beast that were often kept as pets by Dark Elves, Goblins and other sentient beings that lived in the Citidel. Rhazian had 2 though no one, especially his sisters had ever knew about them. Giving up information was never smart he knew. Giving up your assets was less so. His two underlings brought out the female and kicked her legs out from under her so she would kneel before himself and the advisor. Rhazian tasted a bit of the horse meat that Yuma had cooked for them. It wasn’t too bad though it was over-cooked. He glared at her and she shrugged. “What?! I don knows what meats tastes like boss, sorry!” She said upset that she hadn’t pleased him. Rhazian tossed the meat away and wiped his hands.

Both of them were completely naked, their orifices searched along with their flesh. Dark Elves often hid things under their skin to use to pick locks and escape capture. Or poisons to end their lives should they be taken capture with no hope to escape. Rhazian had both in different places under his skin. Rhazian grinned down at Trikan who smoothed his face. He was sitting cross-legged and bound, the female wood elf near him.

“I won’t dain to try to sway you with hopes that you’ll walk out of this cave alive...for you will not. How you die though...is entirely up to you. I’m going to ask you some questions Advisor Drelnith,” he began and Trikan looked at him and raised his eyebrows. Obviously surprised they knew his name. “We’re going to start flaying this...female right here before you until you give me the information I want. Lie to me and it will mean more pain for yourself before the end. Tell me truthfully what I wish to know and you’ll die so fast I doubt you’ll feel anything,” he lied. The female elf began to sob as they gagged her and then as Rhazian began his questions, she began to scream…

--------------------------

Aedael looked at her. “You think this is wrong too,” he said softly. “I suppose I do as well but out of this sinful sacrifice some good may come mother. That is the hope that gives me heart to do what I’ve been commanded to do,” he said as he held a thoughtful look. “I met her once...long ago. She stood behind her father. I thought her...quite lovely...but it changes nothing. My sword will still fall, it has already been caste,” he said. “I’m...sorry I did not take the time to marry. I’m sure my children would have been strong and fine,” he said. He was sad about that but he had no temperament for regrets. There was only what was and what was not but he did have an imagination. And he imagined leaving his family to do this instead of just his parents. He would have left something of himself behind. As it was now, there would be nothing but the memory of him. for some reason, that made him a little sad.

Estindil listened quietly as her son spoke. While she did wish he had married and fathered children, she knew as well that if fate had other plans for him then it would not have been so. What was destined to happen would and she would not stop it from happening. She did not know her son's true fate, but she would love him no less if Verya's death came to be. He was her son and though she did not often say it, she was quite proud of him.

She did something then that she had almost never done. She stood and walked over to him and embraced him. She hugged him gently, but lovingly, not knowing if she would ever see him again.

"I'm very proud of you Aedael and no matter what comes to pass I will always be proud of you and love you."

Aedael looked up to see his father enter the room. He paused and crossed his hands in front of him calmly. “It is time Aedael,” he said without expression. He was losing his son today and yet his voice sounded as if he were calm and relaxed. Far from the whirlwind of thought inside his head and torrent of emotion inside of his heart. “Know that you have ever been, my greatest creation and most honored act,” was all that he said and all that he would say. He reached and removed a single tear that fell down his wife’s cheek. Together they waved goodbye to him as he stepped up to the road. Aedael turned and waved to them as he put his pack on and then picked up in a run toward the barracks and guild hall to meet with the others who were to help him complete his mission.

----------------

Rhazian mixed the advisor’s blood in 50 small vials sealed with parchment and wax. The corpses were dissolved with a very potent acid and as he set the last one into the case he closed it then set it in his pack.he handed the pack to Yuma who headed up into the air as she cloaked herself. She could detect where he was at all times and so she’d follow him through the forest. Rhazian adorned himself in the advisor’s clothes and then settled himself as the others moved around him. He lifted up his arms to his sides as they began to punch and kick him on all sides. He grinned evilly as he took the blows. He delighted in deceptions and this one would be grand indeed.

They had the remains of the worm, a few teeth from it and a bit of flesh. He had a few articles of those that were killed also, a sword, a bow, a helm and a few other things too. He could barely walk but they needed it to look authentic. No horses would have survived save for one that was released a while ago. They bid him farewell and he hobbled deeper into the winding forest. He was unsure of how to traverse the magics the wood elves made but he knew elves would help him when they saw him. At least he hoped they would. It was several hours before he began to feel as if he were being watched. He stumbled and fell, his left leg was broken and though he never cried out it did hurt. It was agony infact to walk on it but he knew pain. It was his only friend sometimes as he was left to suffer in the dark. He had 6 sisters after all and his mother. 7 tormentors who delighted in trying to break him. All but his mother had thought that they had. A pair of women’s boots appeared before him and he looked up them and higher still to see a woman’s face. By the description Morwen gave him he thought he knew that face too, Authiel Talendor’s face.

He fell into her and she went into a knee to hold him. Blood came from his mouth. Wood elf blood, his blood..now. “Worms...attacked…” He managed to get out. His throat was so dry. Her men took up a perimeter near them, one still hung onto the horse they had tracked. He wheezed and thought that he may also have a collapsed lung...his men had hurt him very well...he will have to remind himself to commend them if he left any alive the next time he saw them! High above the trees Yuma tried to see but the leaves were in her way. She wanted to burn them, burn them all and delight as the raging fire consumed the large, golden trees. All the trees! All the flowers and plants...everything! For she felt Rhazian’s pain and it drove her near to madness.

Authiel was a strong, beautiful Wood Elf. Her mother had been the sister of the late king but now all that remained of their royal family was herself and her cousin the Queen, Verya. All her life Authiel had been compared to Verya. Verya seemed to excel at everything she did and left Authiel struggling to catch up. Because they were close in age they were often paired together during training sessions and her cousin would hold nothing back against her. She thus beat her every time, but it only pushed Authiel to work harder and become stronger. She quickly began to move up the ranks behind her cousin and before long they both were working together as Border Guards and soldiers in the war with the High Elves. However, Authiel wanted more. She wanted to be Aegis. After her uncle was killed by a High Elf her cousin became Queen and she saw her chance to fulfill her dream. She worked hard, but when it came time for Verya to choose a new Aegis, Authiel was overlooked.

Authiel had thought that over time her anger and jealous would dissipate, but instead it seemed to only grow stronger. She would have strange dreams, but then awaken not being able to remember what they were about. And not only that but she was beginning to have illicit thoughts and desires for her cousin's advisor, Drelnith. He was well over twice her age and married, but she found she could not put aside these feelings. And so when she spotted him limping on the road, having clearly suffered some attack, she immediately jumped down from the trees and landed before him. As he began to collapse she grabbed hold of him.

"What were you doing out this far from the palace?" she asked with obvious concern as she looked him over. She would need to get him to the healers and quickly.

“The...Queen sent me to...deliver,” he began and then seemed to pass out due to his injuries. He woke up in the healers court in a bed though he had not really been unconscious. He wanted to learn how the elves moved through the forest but they took so many twists and turns he only caught half of it all, if that. The female he knew was the advisor’s wife was at his bedside and she rose and smiled down at him.

“Thank the light you are alive Trikan,” she said and leaned over and kissed him chastely on his cheek. Rhazian’s first instinct was to jerk away from her, she was a filthy Wood Elf after all and he didn’t want her filth on him! But his training made him remain calm. “Brelnea,” He said and smiled at her. “It is good to be back,” he said then sat up. Well, if they hadn’t discovered anything by now he guessed the potions worked? He smiled again and Brelnea smiled back thinking he was smiling at her. Trikan didn’t normally smile like that at her and it warmed her heart.

Brelnea had been a soldier long ago, she had been many things and her family was well respected. Trikan had fallen in love with her and had spent years in courting her, nearly 8. Not unheard of by elves but the effort had warmed her to him and so she decided to make the match though her parents had reservations. Trikan was not nobly born but he was a very intelligent man and had made inroads into the royal families court. His appointment as the Queen’s Advisor had elevated him and as a result he held alot of power now. “I must speak to the Queen,” he said urgently and tried to stand. She held him as he stood.

“Trikan, your leg had to be mended...please take your ease,” she said calmly but felt worried for him. “Help me,” he asked and oh how it grated. He wanted to stick his dagger into her for touching him!
---------------

By the time he made it to the throne room the Queen was already sitting on her large, wooden throne that looked as if it had been grown instead of made. It was alive, wreathed in flowers of all colors that grew in waves down the sides and back. It was bathed in a golden light through a natural opening in the great oak that served as her throne room.

By the Queen’s throne there was a wooden table with all of the advisors effects. The satchel and the things he was able to bring back were laid out and 2 high ranking commanders were there talking with the Queen, who was not in a very good mood right then. Rhazian learned from Trikan what he had been sent for and what he carried. Those things were not returned here, he had burned them and so the Queen was justifiably concerned that they fell into the wrong hands.

The documents were for Ganyarel Larethosin himself, the High Chancellor to King Kaeorin. Her intent was to feel him out about a possible peace treaty. Obviously now though, now that they were working with the dark elves, which was indicated by the worms ambushing them. Her own Chief Advisor as well. But still, nothing was at all certain and so she had said nothing yet. She stood as ‘Trikan’ and his wife entered the Throne Room. He made an uneasy bow to her and Brelnea stepped back and moved back down the steps.

To say that Verya was upset would be an understatement. She had placed all of her hopes upon finally securing peace between the Wood Elves and the High Elves but it now appeared that the High Elves were working directly with the Dark Elves in a plot against her. How could she have been so foolish? She had trusted important documents with her advisor, Trikan, to be delivered personally to the High Chancellor, but she had received word that Trikan had been attacked while still within the Wood Elf realm and now it seemed those documents were missing.

The young elf Queen sat upon her throne and looked over as Trikan, his wife, and her cousin Authiel entered the throne room. Despite her young age, Verya was not one to be taken lightly. She had proved herself a fierce warrior at a very young age and as her father's only child she had learned everything she needed to know to one day be Queen. She had not thought that day would come as soon as it did, however. Her father had been killed by a High Elf in battle and that day Verya had become the youngest Queen in Wood Elf history. Verya was strikingly beautiful. She had inherited her mother's fiery red hair that reached to her lower back and her father's golden eyes. It was this trait that gave her family their name which translated to "Goldenstar". Despite her advisor's wishes, she had not yet chosen a husband. She was strong willed and stubborn and fiercely independent.

She stood and stepped down from her throne. She cast a simple glance towards her cousin.

"Leave us," she said in a tone that was level, but commanding.

Authiel hesitated and started to open her mouth to argue, but a hard look from one of Verya's high ranking commanders caused her to think twice. She bowed and then left. After Authiel was gone Verya looked at Trikan.

"What happened?"

Rhazian stepped forward, well hobbled really his bones that had been mended were still so soft and they ached. He could reach out and kill her right now but her death alone would now sow the kind of destruction that Morwen wanted. He didn't like her stern look either. Once again he was to bow before a female. This one made his skin crawl. She was...pretty, he thought which made bike rise up into his throat.

“Worms...a whole pack. Came out of the very ground and swallowed the horses. We fought them to a man. The only reason I survived was that there were only 4 and my horse had managed to evade them. Those who survived the ambush dismounted to help the others,” he said levelly. “The attack was quick and vicious. I barely escaped,” he said in a neutral tone. “I'm sorry my queen, I failed you.” He said and lowered his eyes respectfully. Oh how that grated. He wanted to rip her lungs out and eat them while she watched.

-------

Aedael had just crossed the western border and he paused to examine an odd scene. Signs of combat and odd markings on the ground. As if the earth itself had shifted and something had came out of it. He had never seen a worm but he knew who used them as fighting animals. Dark Elves. He tasted the soil and felt how soft the ground was. He didn't have time to investigate further, his men had taken up positions in the trees. They had bows where he did not. Aedael used a special way of fighting that had no kata for a bow or even heavy armor or a shield. A blade only and a long light one at that. He stepped away from the odd scene then turned around when he saw something pale in amongst the overturned earth. He picked it up and found that it was an opened letter from Queen Laurelen herself. He read it hastily and was shocked at its contents. It was not easy to surprise Aedael, he had a calm, keen mind. He faced his death many times without even a drop of sweat on his brow. But this...this had taken him aback. If the Wood Elf Queen really did want peace then he may be thwarting such efforts by killing her. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. Orders were orders and he would see this dark deed done. Without further pause he gestured and the small party of 5 moved picked up their pace once more, eastward, further into enemy territory.

Verya listened quietly as Trikan spoke. She was pacing slowly back and forth. On a perch near her throne her Red Tailed Hawk, Cormanthor, watched Trikan uneasily. He could sense that something wasn't right.

"Worms can only mean one thing...Dark Elves. If you were attacked by Worms then I can only assume that the High Elves are now working with the Dark Elves in a plot against me. Your effects were brought back, but the letter I wrote to the High Chancellor is now missing. This treaty talk was supposed to be kept a secret because there are those who would not have peace between us. Now that letter may have fallen into the wrong hands. I do not blame you for this Trikan, but we must get that letter back."

If Rhazian knew how important that letter was he wouldn’t have discarded it. He wasn’t at all certain if it was burned or not. He cursed himself for not being more careful but you couldn’t change the past, only push through. “I don't see how My Queen.” Rhazian said evenly. “And if the High Elves are working with the Dark,which is unlikely, but not...improbable, than Ww have far more concerns.” He added.

Rhazian wanted to seed himself well and not lend to suspicion however he could see how the ugly bird looked at him it could sense something wasn't right. He’d have to dispose of it. Perhaps have Yuma take care of it? “The Dark Elves are so reclusive, how would we seek them out?” He asked.

Verya continued to pace, which was her habit when she was thinking. She knew the likelihood of getting back that document was almost impossible and it frustrated her to no end. She sighed and shook her head a little, unsure now of what to do.

“The last thing I want to do is to enter Dark Elf territory,” she finally responded. “If I did that and the High Elves weren’t working with the Dark Elves and they found out about then they would suspect that I was and the hope of peace would end there. I would like to go out to the area where you were attacked. I shall go alone as not to cause concern. You should rest Trikan. I need you well.”

“How many?” Galara asked. She was dressed in her tan leather armor. Her green pine cloak made it difficult to see her in the trees. Her long, brown hair was held back by a golden cord. Her eyes looked...annoyed that her men had allowed someone...anyone go undetected this far inside their borders. Jaelonin was her 1st and he had only seen 2 of them though others in their squad had seen more. He couldn't give her a positive answer.

“4 we believe Captain,” he responded plainly. “They appear to be headed East and moving fast. So far they've outrun 2 of our patrols. The odd thing is we think they know they've been spotted but haven't slowed down to engage us,” he said but it didn't change the fact that enemies were encroaching for some nefarious reason.

--------

In the throne room Lieutenent Dragoda came up and removed her helmet. She saluted the general and he summoned her to come. She stepped up to him and whispered into his ear. After a moment she nodded and stepped out of the room. The general turned to address the queen.

“My Queen, a small force has breeches out defenses. They are moving fast afoot, our tree hunters have been unable to catch them. They appear to have some urgent agenda but to what we don't yet know….your orders?” He asked. He made no mention if they had attacked anyone though. Only that enemies had been spotted heading toward the City.

Verya was already on edge because of the worm attack on Trikan and the missing letter, but she became visibly agitated when she then learned that a small force had breeched their defenses. She was not happy in the slightest now.

"How did our border guard let them get them past them? Your training needs to be increased I think General," she said with an edge to her voice. "I never would have allowed such a thing to happen. IF they are able to capture them, take them alive and bring them here. I would know who they are and what they are doing in my forest."

Aedael’s orders to his men were to wound only if it were possible. They were sent to kill one woman, not engage in a war. He and his 4 stopped on the large, grassy path that they had retracked through three times already. The trees, golden with both dark and pale leaves loomed high above them on both sides. 6 wood elves in light armor readied their bows and a 7th stepped forward. She was obviously female he saw and a look of recognition appeared in her eyes. He thought he knew her as well and they took off their helmets. He had not drawn his sword.

Captain Galara had met Aedael several times but never in battle. Their 2 peoples were not always at one another’s throats. The last time they had met she was in a pale green silk dress with flowers in her hair. She was quite lovely he remembered and was still so when she looked at him. Aedael’s reputation was well know and it seemed to make them all twitch uncomfortably as if he alone were the real threat and the others were of no real import. He nodded a bow to her.

“I will not dain to ask you to step aside. I know you will not,” he said as his men aimed outward with their bows too. They had more certainly but Aedael knew where they pointed, straight at him. Galara knew that too and held a smug look on her face.Each of those with bows could place arrows one atop another into his heart and everyone knew it. That and they’d take wounds to kill Aedael which Aedael also knew.

“You were so much more...beautiful in silk Captain, have your men put down their bows and pick up instruments. I don’t think we ever had that dance,” he said smoothly. His mouth held a slight grin and his body was poised as if he held no concern at all about having 6 bows aimed straight for his heart. Yet he also looked like he could spring in any direction too which made Captain Galara retain her blade in her hand.

------------------------------

The general himself nodded, saluted and they left the throne room without a word. Rhazian wanted to grin at his leaving but kept his face neutral. Now it was just the Queen, himself, Colonel Baelanil and General Foradrest. There was a map table with the forest carved into it expertly. Rhazien pointed to where he had been ambushed. It was near a clearing that marked the edge of the northwestern border of their realm.

“It looks like they are coming from the way I was brought back. It is possible they are using magic to trace our passing. It would explain how they were able to come so far so quickly,” he said as he tapped where they thought they might be.

(ooc) You can play Galara please.

Of all the elves Galara had been expecting to meet that day, Aedael was not among them. At first she had not truly believed it was him, but as she had moved closer she knew it could be no one other but him. The first and only time she had met him before had been at the summer solstice celebration when a brief peace had been organized. There had been some causal flirtation between the two of them, but they had both also known what they could do to one another. Galara though Aedael quite handsome, but today was not a day of celebration. He and his men were clearly on some ill pursuit and she would not be able to allow him to continue on another step. She kept her sword in her hand, ready to use it if need be.

"Why have you come into our lands? It is clear to me that you are on a mission of some kind. What would that mission be?"

Verya sighed and took a sip of wine as she considered her options. As she studied the map she wanted to just go out there herself to clean up this mess, but her instincts told her that it might be a trap and she would not walk into it.

"Well, I suppose I shall just have to wait here until these trespassers are brought in."

Aedael smiled at her and nodded. “It is not to kill your scouts, Galara nor to see those who follow me killed,” he said as he looked up at the bowman behind her then back down to her.

“My mission is an important one. My people believe there are dark voices who speak into the queen’s ear or someone close to her. We saw evidence of worms who appeared to have attacked some of your people. They were on your side of the border Galara, what do you know of this? Or whom it was that was attacked? Speak their name to me and let me pass for I would like to speak to them and learn the truth of it,” he said so softly and with such calm. Galara was a great dancer and her hair glistened in the dim light. He remembered her in that dress. It was not so easy to forget her in his arms as they danced. But that seemed like so long ago now.

The shadows from the leaves made the available light shift and move around them. The colors from the leaves and the undergrowth were such that Galara’s body seemed to almost blend into them when the shadows crossed her form just right. He tilted his head and smiled curiously at her but did not delve her. Doing that would be a violation and he was certain she’d become hostile then.

Galara listened quietly as Aedael spoke, but remained very suspicious. She knew about the attack, but why Aedael would care about Queen Verya was a mystery to her. He was a High Elf after all and their peoples were at war. Galara was a smart female and she could sense that Aedael was not being entirely truthful.

"And why would you care what happens to our Queen, Aedael? You've never cared before. If it was true, which it is not, why should it matter to you?"

Aedael smiled but it never touched his eyes. They were still so...calm and unaffected by her beauty or the body language she displayed to try and let him know she was becoming aggravated. Wood elves were so...emotional, he thought. Though it was all so slight. Slight to the naked eye but to him every movement she made was telling though some of it was intentionally he felt, to set him off guard.

“If I gave you something we found at the scene of the attack, will you promise to return it to me after you examine it for authenticity?” he asked as he pulled out what looked to be a folded letter with the seal broken. She could tell though that it appeared to be the Queen’s own seal, dark green wax with a golden tree, though obviously broken. He didn’t offer it to her yet, only revealed that he had it. Her archers flinched at his movements but hadn’t fired. She had not given them the signal and so they remained poised and ready to fire on him at any moment.

Galara watched as Aedael pulled out what appeared to be a folded letter. There had been a seal, but it had been broken. Looking at it, Galara could tell that it looked like the Queen's seal. He now had her full attention. She could sense the uneasiness of her archers, but made no signal to them...yet. If this was in fact a letter from the Queen then perhaps Aedael was telling the truth. However, there were still many questions left unanswered. She needed to know, first and foremost, if the letter was authentic. A quick glance at the handwriting would tell her.

"May I see it?" she asked as she held out her hand.

The pretense demanded that he not allow her to see it or even take it from him but if it really did mean that there was a chance for peace he felt he needed to take that chance. He fully intended to carry out his order but if more people knew she stood for peace and was killed would it enrage them or give them a stronger sense that peace was what they needed? He didn’t know but he felt the former might be more true. Wood elves were an emotional people and having their Queen murdered in her own throne room would make a retaliation almost certain. He slowly handed the letter to her and in the taking, two of his fingers touched her hand.

He used a high elf ability called Auspice. A mental trick to allow someone in close proximity to feel a sense of peace and comfort to them. He made the feeling subtle, a soft, barely audible whisper. A slight brush of a soft wind on her cheek, and he looked at her with his light blue eyes that appeared calm and were quite striking to look at.

OOC-Is this letter the real letter Verya sent with her advisor? I checked earlier posts and can't tell if it is or not. I'm thinking it is, but I wanted to double check first.

it is.