Perilous Waltz

[DecooPunk]

Erin walked in front of the hooded woman, "if you don't mind me asking, what test? Why are you doing this? Or are you just a bunch of psychopaths who do stuff like this for fun?"

[silvanis2.0]

The woman laughed lightly.
"As much as I'd like to tell you that we're all just crazy, that is not the case. We were merely testing your ability for a very important task that my master has planned. The survival of this kingdom hangs in the balance, so you must understand why we would have to be so cautious. That is as much as my master has permitted me to say. Ah! Here we are. Doubtless I will see you again once the ball is over."
The woman guided Erin into the dungeon and locked her in a cell across from the others. Lachlan, still unconscious, was laid out in the cell next to hers. The hooded woman ignored the shouted questions from the three men in the other cell and left.
----
The stranger eyed the peasant girl with the axe. His robe had already been stashed away in the garden and he now wandered the room disguised as a scruffy merchant. He held a small bracelet in his hand. He approached a woman near his target.
"Er, pardon me, m'lady, did you drop this?" he asked, showing her the bracelet.
The woman shook her head and eyed him as if he were a particularly unpleasant piece of garbage. He sighed, looked around, and let his eyes fall on the peasant who had spotted him earlier. He bowed a small bow to her and said, "I am sorry to be a bother, but I found this bracelet and I am trying to find who it belongs to. Would it happen to be yours?"
(OOC: I am SO sorry, Davidizer13. I was supposed to initiate this a while ago, but I got very sidetracked. Please forgive my newbie GM-ness.)

[DecooPunk]

Erin surveyed the prison, it looked inescapable. "So, you all are here too?" She said to the other prisoners. "Do any of you know what is going on?"

[silvanis2.0]

Forrester perked up a little when he realized who it was in the cell.
"Erin! Now this is a stroke of luck. A loon like you should be able to help us brainstorm a way out of here," he teased, "unfortunately, we were probably told what little information you were. That seems to be the case with all of us."

[DecooPunk]

"Apparently we are needed for some task because the kingdom is in trouble." Erin said frowning and ignoring Foresster's banter, "At least that's what the hooded woman told me." Erin sighed and sat down on the prison floor. "The is the worst ball ever. Period." She groaned.

[silvanis2.0]

Forrester's brow furrowed.
"This is all so confusing. Where is King Alastair? Surely he would not allow such a dangerous approach to solving the kingdom's problems. There should have been an alarm set out. We should have been alerted of this 'master' and his Sneaks far before the ball."
Lachlan stirred in his cell.
"How much did I have to drink?" he groaned, rubbing his head.
He looked around blearily and blinked a few times to clear his vision. He staggered to his feet when he realized that he was in a cell.
"Now, whatever I am accused of, I am sure I can explain..."

[DecooPunk]

Erin couldn't help but giggle. "You aren't in jail, we were kidnapped by psychopaths to save the kingdom."
Erin stopped laughing and stared at the ground next to Lachlan as several pieces of jewelry fell from his pockets. Lachlan," Erin said, "What are those?"

[silvanis2.0]

Lachlan's mind and heart raced as he tried to recover.
"There were many merchants on the way to the castle. I tend to have a soft spot for shiny things, and I couldn't help but buy them," he said with a chuckle that he hoped didn't sound forced, "I hardly had a chance to put them away properly with so many people shoving jewelry in my face."
Forrester raised an eyebrow as Lachlan calmly put the jewelry into Stephania's pack.

[sarahleinaar]

(OOC: OMGGGG I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT SEREPHINE. I'm just going to do something quick to get her in there with them! lol)
-- Serephine --
Serephine watched WiIl being dragged away and was about to run for help when a robed figure stepped out in front of her.
"Who are you," she asled taking out her sword and pointing it at the person.
The person didn't say anything. Instead he/she lunged at her with their sword. Not being prepared it cut the side of her arm. She cried out and glarred at the person. They fought like that for a few minutes before th person nodded to someone behind her. Then, there was complete darkness.

-- William --
Will watched tireldy as several more people were dragged in. Then he saw... Serephine being dragged in.
"Serephine," he yelled running over. He pushed the guard away from her and carried her to his corner. She shook her head and looked at him.
"Will? What's going on," she asked.
"I'm not sure, but I think we will find out soon," he said.
He looked at the crowd of people and sighed.
"How many more people are going to be hurt or captured tonight," he muttered.

[DecooPunk]

Erin sighed, if this kept up, the whole ball would be stuck in this tiny prison cell.

[Wolfsong]

Maxwell watched the new members to their party join in, slowly. He sighed, shaking his head grimly. If anybody hurt his Christina...
"Now, whatever I am accused of, I am sure I can explain..."
Maxwell watched the jewelery slide out of the man's pocket, heard him cover up. He shook his head. "If that's what you want us to believe," he said coldly. "Forgive me if I think otherwise..." He turned back to the bars, considering the lock.

Christina took his hand, smiling. "Of course, Forrester," she said.

[Davidizer13]

Stephania stumbled through the crowd, trying to spot the black-hooded man; she could barely see over the shoulders of everyone else. When she managed to get a good view again, he had disappeared completely, but the crush kept up, the noise of the battle growing louder. Out of the mess, though, someone reached out and touched her on her shoulder. Her hand went to her axe immediately, taking a breath as she whipped around.

The man was a a fellow peasant, dressed in rough clothes, and miracle of miracles, her pendant dangled from his hand, the green rings in its stone flickering in the sunlight. "Thank you, sir, 'tis mine," she said, gently taking it from his hand and slipping it in the fold of her dress, "and truly, you are a man sent of God, but I must be going, sir!" She took a step to the left, but he matched her move, his pale gray eyes piercing into her. "Begging pardon, sir?" He pulled two knives from his sleeves.

"Do not interfere," he said. "It is no concern of yours." Stephania tried to push forward, but he jabbed a knife forward. She jumped to the right, her assailant barely missing her midsection. She drew her axe, pushing through the retreating partygoers to put distance between her and him, yelling for help all the way. The crowd steadily parted, thinning as she waved the axe in his direction. With a dodge into the crowd, she kept her head down and tried to hide. She shuffled along for a while, looking back every so often. She had lost sight of him again, driving her to distraction. How many of them were there? She tried to count them in her head - there was the one who started it, maybe? One in the black robe, but was he actually on their side or not? Gray-eyes, who was he with?

Two guards blocked the main doors, sealing off the hall. Behind them, soldiers in armor and shields readied to move in to quell the riot. Turning on her heel, she scrambled off down another hall, sliding through some far-off door and into a pantry. She threw herself behind shelves and barrels, ducking out of sight (she hoped) of a couple cooks she could hear talking in the next room.

[Ally-Ann]

OOC: Holy crap. O_O I need to check this thread more often. If my post seems off, please correct me and I'll fix it. ^^


IC:



After a while of dancing, eating, and drinking, a frightening realization struck Orion. He looked around the crowd-- he was standing at the far east side of the foyer-- and his brow furrowed. I realize that I was granted leave, but shouldn't there be more knights and guards...? he thought. Before he could think further, his gaze froze on a familiar-looking woman. He glared, pushing a few people out of his way as he walked towards the raven-haired beauty, before smirking. Raven hair tied into a low chignon, pastel-blue dress, skin as fair as snow. "Well, well! Who do we have here?" He jeered, laying his hand heavily on her shoulder. Josephine whirled around quickly, eyes widened as she backed away from her cousin.

"You!" She exclaimed, face flushing with anger as she pointed her finger dramatically at him. "You filthy ape, what are you doing here, touching me with your hand? I ought to--" She was silenced with a finger to her lips.

"Close your mouth, you guttersnipe," the knight commanded, and the noble clenched her jaw shut as she wrenched Orion's hand away from her mouth. She huffed, her blue eyes glittering with fierceness.

"What do you want with me, you conniving scoundrel? Do you not have somewhere to be on guard or with some cow-towing woman? Leave me be." The strong of insults was said in a whisper, yet would sting the souls of most men; however, they had no effect on Orion.

"If you would let me speak, I could explain to why I'm even looking in your direction," Orion replied, hazel-green eyes piercing through Josephine's very being. Orion paused, glanced around at the crowd, and took Josephine by her elbow. "Come with me outside. I can't focus with all these animals chattering like crazy baboons."

Josephine obliged hesitantly, allowing Orion to lead her out of the castle through a side-door and into a rose garden. Once outside, Josephine glared at the knight once more. "Now, hurry up and tell what the problem is." Orion nodded.

"Something's not right with the ball," he began, and the noble's brows knitted together.

"Well, out with it."

"There should be more guards or knights on duty," he continued. "It's not like the king to be low on knights. Sure, he gives a few of the higher-ranked guards and knights leave during balls like this, but never so many that there can hardly be any found." Josephine shrugged as she let her face relaxed, not feeling worried by the whole ordeal.

"So, the king decided to be generous with giving his guards some time off. Sounds to me like the lucky ones should just enjoy it." Orion face-palmed softly.

"You don't know the king as well as I do. You've met him twice when you were small and that was it," he droned out, sighing. "Listen to me."

"I am."

"And look me in the eye." Josephine raised an eyebrow, looking Orion in the eye. Once eye contact was established, he put his hands on the nobles shoulders firmly, gazing at her intently.

"I realize that we are rivals, Josephine--" His voice was low and harsh-- "but you are my cousin nonetheless. I'm telling you my observations so that you can watch out for yourself. Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious, and always be ready to use your sword." He paused, watching as Josephine's gaze changed from confused, to frightened, to curious, over and over again. "You do have it, right?"

"Of course I do," she replied, her voice quiet, low so as to suppress any emotions she was feeling.

"Good. I will not stray far from the east side of the foyer when we return to the ball." With that, the knight's usually-flirtatious face grave with concern, averted his gaze from Josephine, turned on his heel, and began walking inside. Josephine was left puzzled until Orion stopped abruptly in the doorway. He turned his head slightly, enough so that the noble could hear his next words. He cracked a smile.

"You are still a guttersnipe, though." Josephine gaped, but Orion was already back in the foyer by the time she was able to yell out an insult, cheeks red with fury.

"I am no guttersnipe, you flesh-mongering devil!"

[silvanis2.0]

Lachlan watched the young noble in black for a few moments. He, Erin, and the other man dressed in the king's uniform would be a danger to him if he ever got out of that cell. Forrester rubbed his face.
"I don't suppose anyone still has their weapon on them?" he asked, dropping his hand to his side.
---
The Forrester double smiled and carefully led Christina onto the dance floor, sure that his limp was still in place. He began a somewhat lopsided waltz with the woman as an upbeat song played.
"Who taught you to dance?" he asked, "You are much better at this than I am."
---
(OOC: Davidizer13, I'm loving how your fight is coming along. Would you like me to bring the sneak to Stephania, or do you want to keep going with it?
OOC II: Ally-Ann! Sorry you missed the day of massive posting. If you need any clarifications, feel free to ask. Also, who would you like me to send an attacker to first? Or would you rather I have someone rather powerful fight both of your characters?)

[Ally-Ann]

OOC: I don't mind what you do, silv. ^^ Whatever you feel would be best; I'm literarily flexible.
I would post more tonight, guys, but it's way past my bedtime; tomorrow's Monday, too, and I tend to drag in the mornings. One thing, though: Where are all the characters located, exactly? I don't need a summary, but it would be helpful to know where the others are at. Thanks for being patient with me! (>^_^)>

[sarahleinaar]

OOC: Ally-Ann, Most of us are in the dungeons but there are a few who are roaming around the castle, still needing to be caught by the Sneaks.

[silvanis2.0]

Ashton had refused to wear the ridiculous robes that the master had prescribed. He preferred noble clothes. In fact, he thought the whole game of hide-and-seek was far too over the top to find decent fighters, but at least the cause was a decent one. He leaned up against a wall, nursing a flask, until he heard a woman yelling over the din of the party goers. A temper. He found that promising. He lazily pushed himself off of the wall and looked around for the source of the insult. It was a pretty little noblewoman. He took another swig from his flask and tucked it away before casually strolling toward her and artfully tripping in such a way that it looked like he had fallen over one of her feet.
"Oh, I am most terribly sorry," he said as he picked himself up off the floor, "I do hope that I haven't ruined your shoe."
---
The hooded man had returned from upstairs. He drug a stool along with him and sat down on it when he had reached the occupied cells.
"Fools, the lot of them," he grumbled, "two obvious fights already, and the ball is barely halfway through."
He took a moment to look around at the people in the cells.
"Let us see. We have two knights, a bodyguard, a spy, a smattering of nobles... It seems they managed to pick well enough," he said, massaging one of his gnarled hands, "the night has not been a total waste. Oh! Oh, dear. I have been a terrible host. Can I fetch anyone anything? Food? A drink or two, perhaps?"

[DecooPunk]

"You could tell us why we are here, for starters." Erin said glaring at the man.

[silvanis2.0]

"If only I could, miss," sighed the man, "I am ordered by the master not to speak of it. That is a privilege that he reserves for himself."
Lachlan sat against a wall of his cell with one knee hugged to his chest.
"How could your master know if you told us or not?" he asked.
"It would endanger me to tell you. Quite frankly, I do not think your curiosity is worth it."
"And your life is worth allegiance to this 'master'?" asked Forrester.
The man's gnarled hands clenched but he remained silent.

[Wolfsong]

Maxwell stared at this strange man a long time, then asked quietly, "What can you tell us of our position then, without endangering yourself?"

Christina smiled brightly. "I've had a lot of fine instructors, but I really couldn't have improved so well if my brothers hadn't helped me. Stephen and Maxwell are truly wonderful. I'm lucky to have them." She tilted her head slightly, curious. "Do you have family, Forrester?"

[silvanis2.0]

The hooded man wrung his hands for a few moments while he thought.
Finally, he said, "I can tell you that we only need a few more fighters before you start your mission, so you will not have much longer to wait. I can also tell you that King Alastair and Princess Maev are safe, if a bit unhappy. They are treated as guests where they are, even if their living arrangements are similar to yours at the moment."
He stood and placed a hand on his back to loosen it.
"I will see what is left of the feast upstairs. Doubtless you all will be hungry by the time... well... I suppose I oughtn't tell you that, either."
---
The second Forrester smiled, perhaps a bit too forcibly.
"Ah, yes. My parents and my sister," he said, twirling her, "they live just south of here. My parents have been trying to marry my sister off for years, but it seems that she has other ideas. I cannot say I blame her. It must be awful not being able to choose who to love."

[Wolfsong]

"Wait- they're in a cell?" Maxwell considered this, as well as everything else that was said. He listened to the man discuss food, and suddenly smiled. "That does sound good," he said. "Due to having been...detained, I was unable to satisfy my hunger. So yes, whatever you could spare, would truly be appreciated."

Christina sighed a little as she spun gracefully around. "I can understand that," she said. "I fear...I too may have to do that. I only hope...that if I do not love the man chosen for me, that I can learn to love him, as a good wife should." She smiled sadly at Forrester.

[Ally-Ann]

Josephine glared slightly at the man that had just tripped over her shoe, but she managed a sigh before relaxing her face. "'Tis fine. Just watch your step," she replied through a slight huff, still miffed at Orion. Had the knight no couth? She was higher than him! And yet he called her a guttersnipe! Certainly she was not such a person, but she found her attention drawn back to the poor man who had stumbled over her. "I don't suppose you, good sir, would know why there are not more knights or guards on duty, would you?" She asked, pulling a slightly-long strand of hair away from her face-- her cousin had worked her up too much.

[silvanis2.0]

"Of course, young master," said the hooded man before he left.
---
Not-Forrester nodded, "The life of a noble may be comfortable, but it is seldom fair. I do hope that you find love in whoever you marry, m'lady."
He smiled a little, actually feeling it this time, and waltzed Christina vaguely in the direction of the nearest door. The song would be winding down soon, and he would have to get her alone before they could fight. To his surprise, he found that he wanted to speak with her more before the test. He twirled her away from him.
"If you could choose who to marry, is there anyone who you would consider?" he asked, gesturing to the crowded ballroom.
He twirled her back in and continued to waltz.
---
The man looked around the room.
"A sharp eye you have," he said quietly, casually squeezing a trigger hidden in his palm and engaging a blade concealed in his sleeve, "A bit too sharp, I fear. Please come with me, m'lady. I have much to show you. And, please, do not make a fuss. I do not wish to kill anyone tonight."
He pressed the tip of it between her ribs as he placed a guiding hand on her back. He pushed the blade a little harder into her back to emphasize his instructions.

[Ally-Ann]

Josephine froze, an eyebrow twitching slightly as she gazed intensely at the man. What... Am I being kidnapped?! Josephine mentally panicked, feeling the man urge her to move forward. She looked away from her. The tip of the concealed blade was slight, but frightening enough to make her move forward. She worried that the strange man could hear her heart beating, and fear coursed through her very being, feeling as if there was a cold, steel knife being pressed into the pit of her stomach. As she walked slowly, her eyes danced across the room, searching for Orion. Too many people... I can't seem him... She rested her hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword, swallowing a lump that seemed to be stuck in her throat.

Her words to the man pushing her forward were low, quiet, and monotone, and just slightly shaky. "Where are you taking me?" She focused on the people and things in front of her, never bringing her eyes to look at the man behind her.


---


Orion meandered through the east side of the ball room, making good conversation with several noblewomen and a few good friends. He held a glass of sweet wine in his left hand, but he merely sipped from it once or twice; tonight did not seem like the night to become tipsy. His actions and speech portrayed a care-free mentality, his eyes seeming to twinkle with mirth. All while doing, he would scan his eyes periodically across the large room, searching for that rat of cousin. He spotted her once-- just the top of her head; her small, twinkling tiara was hard to miss-- and she seemed to be with a nice-looking man. Orion smirked this as he turned back to his posse. Seems like the rodent found a mate for tonight... or vice versa, Orion thought to himself, laughing when another friend of his cracked a joke. Nothing other than the lack of guards and knights seemed to be going amiss; the ball was running smoothly, all of his friends were here, and someone seemed to find Josephine attractive. For a lack of knights, it seemed too perfect,but Orion continued to celebrate the princess's birthday, sipping his wine, and chattering with his friends.

[silvanis2.0]

"Just a stroll about the gardens," said the man quietly, looking to all the world like an innocent fellow who had found a nice girl to dance with, "tell me, m'lady, will anyone here know that you are missing if, say, I hid you away somewhere? This is purely hypothetical, of course."
He gave a nod to a weathered looking gentleman who was piling food onto a platter. The man surveyed Josephine with a pitying frown and halted the man with a squeeze to his shoulder.
"I saw this one with a knight earlier. Be careful," he rasped beneath his breath.
The man smirked wickedly and slowly turned Josephine back around.
"Where is your knight, m'lady?" he asked cheerily, "I would love to have a chat with him."

[Wolfsong]

Maxwell smiled at the man as he left, then said some unpleasant words under his breath. "So what do you make of it?" he asked Forrester. "Either its a rebellion we stepped into, or...what? What could it be?"

Christina, thinking deeply on what he said, didn't notice they were beginning to move away. "I do not believe there is anyone I have my heart set upon," she said finally. "Love is...something I have not contemplated for long. But perhaps it is better that I do not, if I must be forced to marry elsewhere. I would not want to begin a marriage with heartbreak." She tried to smile, but the frown was plain to see.

[silvanis2.0]

Forrester passed a hand through his hair, pinching his tongue between his teeth.
"It sounds like rebellion to me, but it is not like one I have ever seen. What rebels would keep their opponents alive without using them as bait?"
"Perhaps they are bait," said Lachlan as he adjusted his scarf, "perhaps they will hold that over our heads once this whole convoluted game is over and we meet this 'master.'"
"I dearly hope you are wrong," said Forrester, actually bothering to get a good look at Lachlan, "wait a moment. Do I know you from somewhere?"
Lachlan shrugged, "It is possible. I travel often."
"You wouldn't happen to be a mercenary, would you?"
"Certainly not," he laughed, "I am the very opposite. I work under a diplomat from the eastern part of this kingdom."
"Oh," said Forrester with a smile, "I did not know that Cameron had an apprentice."
"That is the very man!"
Forrester's chuckle ended abruptly, "Indeed? That is quite strange, because there is no such man."
Lachlan's face fell.
"Now answer me truthfully, or I shall ask Erin to reach through those bars and help you answer."
Lachlan retreated to the center of his cell where he could not be reached and crossed his legs.
"I have no reason to answer to you, sir."
---
"That is wise," said Not-Forrester with a brief nod that he had seen the original do countless times before, "you are indeed mature for someone who has spent so little time away from home."
The song faded to a close and Forrester stepped away from Christina. He gave a small smirk and brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"I am sorry for asking such a personal question. It was out of line."

[Ally-Ann]

Josephine bristled at the man's question and tone of his voice, slapping his hand away. "He's not my knight, he's a disgusting mongrel of a cousin," the noble hissed, glaring daggers into the eyes of her captor. "Even so, it is none of your business where he is!"

[Wolfsong]

Christina smiled warmly at him. "No. I would like to think we are friends enough." She curtsied, appropriate at the end of a dance, and asked, "May I call you my dear friend, Forrester?"

Maxwell chuckled grimly but chose to stay out of the fight. Instead he messed around in the dust on the floor, hoping to find something with which to pick the lock.