Call me Queen

T

Twisted Desire

Guest
Original poster
Long ago, the first king found the kingdom of Sytri on the basis of equality and peace. Safety was granted to those in its borders, food for the famine, and land for everyone.

Funny how things change over time.

Centuries later, Sytri has become a powerhouse for gambling, robbery, and poverty. The Royal family lives in comfort, sleeping in golden silk sheets, the court in silver, while the peasants spend nights scraping together wood to keep a fire through the night to keep warm. With another famine under way, all that's left for the lower is a few potatoes and whatever they can find on their own. Nothing seems to be looking up.

That is, until, a bunch of children did.

It turns out, a deal with the devil can fight another. Meet the rebellion group, Blood Moon, headed by a small teens and 200 strong. Located in the cellar of an abandoned castle in the forest, this movement provides food, shelter, and comfort for those who swear their loyalty, for those who had none. However, the teens who lead are not normal teens. Each are in possession of a mask, of which was given by an animal spirit to bless them with certain abilities.

However, with this ragtag group, will they manage to overthrow the royal family? Is all of the Royal family really that bad? Will Blood Moon cave in on itself?
~*~
Name:Charlotte DeVauge
Age:17
Mask:Hummingbird
Weapon: Two elongated silver needles, poison
Position: Head Assassin
Appearance: Born of a foreigner and a former knight, Charlotte has skin the color of creamed coffee and long silky ink black hair. Her eyes would be odd eyed, but as that was seen as an abnormality, her eye was sliced through by a noble her mother worked for at a very young age. Her skin is littered with scars of her previous bouts, some with words carved into her skin. She has fine, smooth features, despite her ugly scars.

Personality: Charlotte is a very quiet and calculating girl with a hatred for nobility. After losing her parents long ago, she has since then joined a bunch of other kids who swore to get rid of the king. Since she has the most personal hatred to the kingdom, and has never been afraid of carnage, she was appointed head assassin. As HA, she carrys out assassin missions and collects what she can (gold, jewels, food, fabric) from the victims. Despite being one of the toughest girls in Blood Moon, she's painfully naive and oblivious on love. She sees kissing people on the cheek as casual, as well as holding hands. She's secretly skilled in cooking, but leaves it to the head of Rations

Spirit: As she made a deal with an animal spirit, a small pixie with Hummingbird wings named Nectar follows her. Nectar is a small female pixie with short teal blue hair and bright gold eyes. She tends to be a mischievous little creature that tries to have Charlotte cheer up. She cares a lot about Charlotte and her friends, and is very serious when they are brought up. She likes playing with the other spirits, and sweet foods. She takes form of a turquoise necklace when she's not wide out there.
~*~
"Yo-Uuugh-!"
Charlotte's face was calm as she continued sipping her wine across the table, watching as the large man fell over his chair, clawing at his expensive clothing. Raising the brow of her scarred shut eye, Charlotte had looked down at her own clothing. The Master had the seamstresses sew her an expensive-looking gown that seemed rather impractical. The blue-green corset dress had put her figure wide out there, and had pushed her chest together rather immodestly.

'Then again, I guess that's kind of the point of this,'Charlotte thought blandly as she swirled the liquid in her goblet, frowning at the jewels that dug into her hand as the noble choked on his final breaths. She sighed as she gently touched her necklace, 'Nectar, go stake out the door.'

'Wow! A new record! Right away, Lottsa!,' came the bright, cheerful reply as the necklace transformed into a small angelesque figure with hummingbird wings, teal blurring as she flew past the door. Setting down her cup, Charlotte stood and strode over to the corpse, nudging it with her foot. She pushed her hair back, pulling a canvas bag from her bell sleeves.

"I just cleaned my needles. I can't waste them on your pig blood, because I'd get no roast later," She said bitterly as she began searching him and around the room for stuff she could bring back to the Master, her Best friend...

Or so she thought. Lately he had been distant, favoring taking to his room rather than talking to their group. It had personally hurt Charlotte to see her friend distant, to the point where she was uncomfortable around him to a point.

'Lottsa! The prince is coming! We've gotta fly!,' said a panicked Nectar as she flew back in. Charlotte felt the familiar warm burn of the tattoo slowly etching onto her face, and grabbed her wine, downing it in one go before throwing the goblet in the bag. Just as the door flung open, Charlotte locked her eye on the prince as she practically flew from the window.

As she got into the forest, she hummed to herself as she undid the bottom ties to her corset, gasping for breath. Nectar flew leisurely beside her, guiding her home, 'Talk about a close one. But, the prince is really handsome, you should have played your cute crying girl card. It got you that one merchant's son.'

Charlotte said nothing, making Nectar sigh as they arrived at the abandoned castle,'You take your job too seriously, Lottsa.' Charlotte looked over to Nectar, before shrugging as she opened the cellar door with her key, and slipped inside. She went down the stairs, met by a few more of the assassin branch. With a smile and a nod, she passed by and went straight to the tower where the Master's bedroom was, still holding the loot.

She dodged groups of kids running by, women doing chores, and men helping their respective wives, smiling and waving to the ones who cheerfully greeted her. When she arrived to the large wooden door, she knocked on the door, not bothering to change her dress.

(okay so I want at least 3 more leaders, maybe a royal family member or so... Just jump in!)
 
Name:Victor Vincheti (Master)
Age: 20
Mask: White Rabbit
Weapon: A single Long Katana
Position: Master
Appearance:
1481867-bigthumbnail.jpg

Personality: Vincent is very silent. He was The son of The Kings best friend, who was a count and served in the Kings Council. However due to the thought of rebellion in the council, Vincent's father was killed. Vincent was thrown out onto the streets. Vincent is not quick to trust, as keeps to himself, minus the few of his loyal's that he chooses to talk with. Vincent, is also very defensive and many subjects are touchy to him, especially that of his father. Vincent was once a noble and still holds the same traits as a noble would, that being said he is very proper and very gentle. His voice is deep his face always calm. Tall in stature and height. He loves to laugh but does so very often, due to his mindset of not having much to laugh at and the world being one big hole of death where only the Brave can defend the Weak and nobody care enough about the weak to step forward and do so. Vincent can be very caring and is extremely possessive.

Spirit: Vincent had been walking one night and had found himself in the presence of a rabbit, a very agile, skinny rabbit. Its eyes were not like others, nor its body shape. it was thinner than other rabbits and its ears stood taller. This rabbit did not stay a rabbit for long though, but rather turned from a rabbit into a small Fairy only about 5 inches tall, it sat upon Vincent's shoulder and began to tell Vincent about a large Castle that once belonged to a great King, who lived in harmony with all of the other fairy's and Pixie's and what have you. Vincent found all of this very amazing and rather beneficial to his current status. The fairy lead him to the castle and he made a deal with The rabbit and the others, they would all live in Harmony but each new person must pledge their loyalty with blood, their blood is to be taken and mixed with a small amount of blood from another fairy and drank, this would tie the two together for life. Vincent and his Rabbit did so immediately and the greatest bond he would ever know was made that night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​
Vincent paced back and forth in his chambers. His head was filled with thoughts of his father, that's all that had been on his mind lately. Tomorrow was his fathers birthday, the day after was Vincent's, he would be 21. 21 was the age his father wanted him to have found his life partner. Vincent cared little for these things. He had many woman that he was sure wouldn't mind being his partner for life and helping with this rebellion. He had sent his head assassin out this morning, who also happened to be his best friends and someone he trusted a whole lot. Charlotte, that was her name. She was a very loyal girl. Vincent had to stop thinking, he had to calm himself down. "Rabbit. I need you." A small rabbit came hoping out from under Vincent's bed and sat at his feet. "What do I do?" Vincent sat down in his bed and laid his head on his hands. " I need a solution, I have people counting on me and all I can think about is what my father would have me doing right now." The small Rabbit turned to a fairy and spoke silently. "You need to focus on what's important Master. Your father would want you happy, you have to keep this family that you have built up. A woman will come into your life when the time is right, focus on what's important. Taking down the king is what is important, keeping these people alive." The fairy hovered in front of Vincent's face. "Master, it will all be okay." Vincent began to speak again but then heard a knock on the door. Vincent stood slowly and approached his door. grabbing the door handle and opening it slowly. Outside stood Charlotte, in a dress that the seamstress had obviously made. Vincent looked at her slowly. "Hello Charlotte. How can I help you?"​
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlotte held up the bag,"The trash is taken out, Master. Here is the spoils to add to the treasury. Also, the head chef has called for a mass market trip, as our inventory is getting low, and your birthday is coming up." Charlotte's lips quirked a teensy bit, before falling away just as fast. Charlotte pulled her hair out of its plait, shaking the long raven locks from their stiff postitions,"Holy Hollyhocks, how do women do this?"

Nectar sat on Charlotte's head, and grinned,'Rabbit! Hiya!' Whereas Rabbit was very kind, yet professional, Nectar was a rather well known prankster of the pixie kingdom, a perfect match for Charlotte's stern mind for business and locked jaw.

Charlotte set her bag down, before pulling up her sleeves and crossing her arms, noting slight signs of stress many people wouldn't really see. Her eye narrowed, before she gave a tired sigh,"I see your age and thoughts have caught up with you. Want to talk about it?" She placed a hand on her hip, making a pose to show she'd leave if he wanted. In all honestly, she probably looked less elegant than before with her messy look, but she found this important.
 
Vincent stood listening and looking at Charlotte. taking the bag from her hand and measuring the weight. She was so professional with him, he loved and hates it at the same time. "I will be down right away to deal with the Head Chef...if need be I can send out looters to acquire more food." Running his fingers across his forehead Vincent chuckles. "You always know when something is wrong." Vincent looked back at Rabbit he stood on the bed post of Vincents bed. In all honesty he always found Nectar to be rather annoying. He nods in her direction as she says hello. Looking at Vincent he gives a nod of assurance. Then slowly flutters towards his shoulder standing tall as he lands. "We should probably go take care of any newcomers that may be arriving as well Master." Vincent nods. "Yes I know we have a lot to do." Vincent looks back at Charlotte and smiles. "Maybe we can talk later Char....okay?" Vincent had came up with that nickname when he learned how fiesty Charlotte could really be. He was certain she hated it, but he only said when he was trying to be sincere or reassuring. Charlotte was dear to him and knowing that he cared for her was something he wanted her to always be aware of. Patting her head and twirling the end of it between his fingers he smiles at her. "Maybe we should find a better look to give you when you dress as a royal...the stuck up prune look doesn't really suit you." Vincent chuckles and walks past her slowly at first down the stairs to the commons area. Turning to look at Charlotte, "walk with me. Tell me about the trash." Vincent spike as he stood waiting for her to be beside him.
 
A small spark lit up in Charlotte's eyes as she playfully batted away his hand, a barely there pout on her face,"Sure, Vinny." She said it in a taunting tone, before turning with him. She paused, then gave another turn,"Maybe one as a priestess, or something with a lot more drape. And not blue. You don't want me to get red on blue, I want to be able to either hide the blood in the fabric or dye my clothes in their blood."

'Way to be morbid, Lottsa,' Nectar sighed as she transformed back into a necklace, and latched onto Charlotte's neck. Charlotte rolled her eye as she glided down the stairs, enjoying the smooth slip of the air- light fabric on her skin. Growing up, she never had fine dresses, or dresses in general. In fact, she still dressed like a male a lot, but she would still love to mess with the drape of any dress. She came to a halt beside Vincent, before shrugging, "Lecherous toad, in every point of the word. Apparently sadistic, or twisted in some way. Thought all these scars made me all the more desirable in some way. But what royal has so many scars and my features?

"It was all too easy, though. He drank more than a widower after his wife died the fourth time. That may be the case for all I know, but I almost got caught by the prince. He moves fast," Charlotte shrugged indifferently, before they came to where the newcomers were huddled. A woman part of the rationing faction was watching over them, giving them some bread. Two families, one with three children, and the other simply a couple with a child on the way.
 
Name: James Macharot
Age: 16
Mask: Fox
Weapon: A slightly marred scimitar
Position: Scavenger

Appearance: James is not very tall for a young man his age, standing at just under 5 feet, yet he is sturdier in build than most. His skin is a very deep tan due to his habit of spending long hours in the sun, playing with other boys and searching for supplies. His raiment is very drab, considering he was raised in crushing poverty. His shirt is a mottled gray, torn in places. As for his trousers, well, let's just say they resemble the cuttings of a potato sack stitched together. Despite this, he does have one incredibly beautiful attribute to his name. His eyes. They would be the envy of any Royal born son or daughter. Pools of emerald surround his iris's, giving him a bit of an exotic feel.

Personality: One of James's most prominent quirks would be how incredibly shy he is. As skittish as a mouse. Although, he is also very curious about everything. People, things, places, sounds, colors and many other facets of the wide world intrigue James on a daily basis. And so, albeit quietly, he will try to be involved in the goings on of the world as much as he can. Nonetheless, having been raised by a whore and a thief, the little boys self esteem is low. As such, it usually takes quite a bit of coaxing to bring him out of his shell. If you can manage it, he is quite the character. There is, however, one thing that the boy is not shy about. Work. Whether it be scavenging, building, decorating or even fighting, James charges in with zeal and determination. His brazen mindset on tasks is largely due to the fact that when he is busy, he feels much less emotionally vulnerable.

Spirit: Before he was old enough to work the streets with his father, James used to sit at the window of his small cottage bedroom, just after his mother sang his lullaby. With the shutters wide open, the young boy would rest his elbows on the sill, head in his hands and ponder the night. The stars, the neighboring homes, the cracked streets and the distant noises of night life would keep him occupied into the wee hours of the morning. On one of these nights, James was daydreaming about sweets from the market, when suddenly a furtive movement across the street caught his eye. Rousing from his imaginative wanderings, James rubbed his eyes, fancying himself to be tired and seeing things. However, when he removed his hands from his eyes, a strange sight befell him. Standing just paces away from his window, was a fox. Beautiful it was, and it happened to be staring intently at James. In fact, it seemed to be waiting for him.

Curiosity having been thoroughly aroused, James quietly crept out through his window and followed the creature. It led him a few blocks down, Halting at the end of a dark alleyway. In the dark, James noticed that the animal had a bit of a glow to it. Suddenly, it spoke. "We are of the many. You are of the few. Tonight, I have placed my gift upon you, and you shall carry me wherever you go." With that, the fox became a beam of light, flowing directly into his chest. The force of the energy knocked him off of his feet, causing James to hit his head on the hard alleyway ground. He was knocked out cold. When he woke, he was in bed, with two very concerned parents hovering over him. Ever since that day, the fox occasionally manifests itself through him, enabling him to perform certain tasks he normally could not. It resides in a burn mark resembling a tribal fox on his chest.

==============================================================================

"James! James!! Wanna play tag?"

Turning tiredly to the excitable young girl, bearing an armful of freshly looted supplies, James smiled, shaking his head. "Too busy right now Hilda. Maybe later, eh?" His tone was barely a whisper, though his strides were purposeful as he moved towards the kitchen. Crestfallen, but not to be deterred, Hilda eagerly sought another opportunity to badger him, and attached herself to his hip. Casting a brief glance to Vincent and Charlotte, James attempted to remain patient with the child. She was part of a family of five, with two other siblings, newly arrived to their little sanctuary. Obviously, she had taken a liking to James almost the moment she set eyes on him, as she had thought he was scarcely older than her, being as short as he was. Even after she discovered he wasn't much of a talker and was also much older than her, she was always wanting to play games with him and tell him stories. She didn't much like her siblings, as she often told him, and was attempting to forge a new friendship to help her adjust.

As Hilda yammered on beside him, James approached the doors to the kitchen, shouldering them open. "Got some goods for you, Chef." he said gruffly. Exhaling, the scavenger set down the comestibles on the prep table and smartly turned back around, heading back out into the main area. He was tired from his excursion, and desired to sit down for a moment. As he made his way back, a nice, cushy chair that was positioned near the bottom of the staircase caught his eye. He made his way to it, seating himself like an old man would after a walk through the market. "Ooooooh.." he moaned softly, closing his eyes for a moment. His muscles began relaxing immediately, as did his mind. Suddenly, a slight pressure on his lap caused him to open his eyes. It seemed that Hilda had taken it upon herself to sit on his lap and rest her head on his shoulder. Miffed and touched all at the same time, James couldn't work up the gall to tell her off. So, he just shut his eyes, enjoying the moments rest.
 
Vincent walked rather slowly as Charlotte told her story. "Well maybe we should get you something that you can move more quickly in... Or maybe" Vincent began to say looking at Charlotte, a slight smirk stretching across his face. "Your losing your touch." Vincent chuckled and entered the room of the newcomer's. A team of scavengers had just returned. Vincent eyed James. James was always so quite and Vincent didn't like that... It made him very catious around him, but the fox, who had was rather picky had chosen James, so there had to be something in him that was worth his loyalty. Vincent introduced himself to the new families. Trying to look as happy as he could, when all he could think was. 'Great, more mouths to feed, I can barely feed the ones I have., Vincent patted the children on the head and shook the parents hands. "Welcome to Sanctuary, or as it's official name, Welcome to Blood Moon." Vincent held his hands in the air showing the magnificence that was Blood Moon. Vincent looked down at the small rabbit that sat at his feet, looking back at him its ear twitched meaning that it was time. Vincent smiled at Charlotte, "if you would be so kind, go to the chef and get a count of how much we have gathered today. Afterwards I want you and James to go out together, there is a merchant who just got dress supplies in, he is the one that has been supplying us for some time. Normally I just send James out but I have received a letter that this merchant has been being watched lately and so there may be some things that need tending too." Vincent smiled again and nodded turning to James, he spoke. "James you know that, that chair is mime for town meetings, hence why it sits upon the stage. Your work is not done for the day I need to you to go get supplies from our merchant friend with Charlotte." Vincent always spoke in a stern serious tone with James; probably related to the small amount of trust he had in James.

Vincent turned back towards the families and smiled. "Now if you will all be so kind as to follow me, there are some procedures we need to go through." The family turned to leave with Vincent, calling after their children to follow. Vincent lead them through the commons and into a small room where a giant oak tree sat in the middle its roots growing outward onto the floor. Fairy's of all shape and sizes fluttered around talking among themselves. Once in the room Rabbit revealed himself and a smile shined upon his face. "Welcome family. Here today you will pledge your loyalty to not only Vincent the man that makes all this possible, but also me and my family. We are the fairy's of Blood Moon. The ones that make each and everyone of you special in your own way. My name is Rabbit and I am but a simple fairy. Grandfather owl, is the head fairy, he belongs to no human, for the one he did has passed away.'"Rabbit was silent for a moment. "Now, all of you will be given a fairy, well a you will be given to a fairy. This fairy will be your guide, your protector and the sign of your loyalty to Blood Moon. If you would be so kind as to follow me we will be going to meet the fairies." Rabbit and Vincent lead the family to their new fairies and the ritual of the blood tie took lace. Afterwards Vincent and Rabbit showed the families to their new homes and Vincent began going around checking on the families that were sick or that were low on rations. He then spoke with the chef and other workings. Doing what any good Master would do. As he finished he began to wonder how Charlotte and James were doing.​
 
(Still editing)

"Oh, sure, or the prince is a fan of my work considering I have murdered a good chunk of the court, or he fancies me," Charlotte drawled sarcastically, before turning to James. Her eye lit up as she saw him. James and Charlotte were usually a team, as their work was similar and they were both rather distant types.

Chuckling at the child, she nodded to Vincent,"Yes, Master, but let me change." She ran to her quarters, running into the chef with a smile, "Hello, Karcin, can you give me the scavenger records from today?" The young man slightly bumbled, "O-oh, yes Miss Charlotte, one moment!" He stumbled down the hall, so Charlotte took this chance to dress in a black draping dress that stopped at her calves so it didn't drag. As she walked out, pulling her hair in a bun and tucking her needles in the folds, she ran into Karcin again, who gave her the folder.

"Thanks, dear," She said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and running off to James,"Hello, James. I know you must be exhausted, so do you want me to just go ahead and do this alone?"
 
Stirring at the sound of Vincent's command, James forcibly pushed energy into his muscles, opening his eyes and rising softly from the chair. He lightly shook Hilda as he did, indicating for her to return to her siblings. Emerald eyes lined with weariness, James looked at Vincents chest, unable to bring himself to meet his elders stern gaze. "Of course sir. I'm very sorry for my carelessness. I shall return to my tasks right away." His voice was as soft as ever, hardly audible, even to those listening intently. Suddenly, James's eyes began to glow amber. The fox had appeared, and was manifesting itself. It spoke to Vincent through James, as it rarely appeared in physical form. "I shall see the boy through." the fox said simply. With that bit of assurance, the fox lent strength to James and returned his will to him. Eyes becoming green once again, James shook himself.

His thoughts immediately turned to the task at hand. James had dealt with this clothing merchant before, with no end of trouble. The man had been a regular and loyal suppliant to Blood Moon, and yet he danced dangerously close to the fire. His business had deep ties with the Royal Family, and the castle informants often did inventory checks. It was risky to slip clothes off of the books, especially those that held any sort of quality or worth. There was always the slightest chance of James having to spill blood in order to safely recover the shipment. As such, James made for the stairs, heading to his bedroom where his scimitar lay.

Just as he reached the foot of the stairs, Charlotte intercepted him. Facing her with a worn but glad body posture, James hugged her briefly in greeting, in proper fashion of friends. "Salute Charlotte." he said, smiling as she voiced her concern for him. "And no, there's no need for all that. No matter how tired I may be, I would never pass up an opportunity to serve the castle. You know that. Not to mention that I relish in our joint tasks." James placed his hand on her shoulder, eyes down, squeezing softly. His last statement held the slightest bit of intimacy, similar to the way a brother would speak to a beloved sister. James rarely expressed emotion in his voice, as it made him feel exposed, but with Charlotte, he would ever so scarcely open up. Quickly recovering from the momentary lapse in professionalism, he added, "Before we leave, however, I'll need to retrieve my weapon from the bedroom. I'll be down in just a moment." With that, James started up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlotte gave a concerned, but sweet smile, and nodded,"Of course, I shall wait. Be sure to grab your coin purse too, because you know the drill." She slowly moved towards the cellar door, and touched the necklace around her throat, "Come now Nectar, we need you."

'Oh, what now?,'Nectar asked as she appeared with a dull glow. Charlotte held up a scroll, and held it to Nectar,"Take this to the grocer and his wife, Mister and Misses Vale. They will do the rest."

'Are you sure they can be trusted, Lottsa?,'Nectar asked as she shrunk the scroll and held onto it. Charlotte nodded,"They can be. They did cover for us several times before, and will do it several times again. This is also the only way for the castle to get extra food."

Charlotte always had outside connections, due to her father's famous chivalry and the fact she was almost always outside the castle. She used these to take some stress from Vincent, and to provide for those she was protecting. She had hardly shared them with anyone, even Vincent, but these where secrets worth keeping. Nectar nodded as she flew through the keyhole.

Charlotte looked to the hall as she heard footsteps, and whispered,"James, is that you?"
 
With light feet, James crested the top of the stairs, took a sharp left and proceeded towards his room. It resided at the far end of the castle quarters, on the right side. Quickening his pace, the young boy sped down the hallway and arrived outside his door, heart racing at the prospect of another task as well as the risks involved. With a gentle push, James coaxed the dark mahogany door open, as it had already been slightly ajar. Once inside, he padded his way to his closet. Being only about four feet wide and six high, it wasn't the largest closet in the kingdom. For him, however, it was the largest he had ever been able to call his own. Inside was a single shelf with a rack bar on the bottom, hung with a few of his donated clothes, courtesy of the merchant they would be visiting once again today. In the left corner lay his scimitar, sheathed, with the belt still looped through. Hefting it easily, James set it onto his twin sized bed. He then pulled down a pair of slacks, a white long sleeve and a red neck scarf, which he loved dearly.

Pacing the few steps to the door, James nudged it closed. He enjoyed his privacy when dressing, unlike some of the more uncivilized tenets they had within the castle. Starting with his shoes, James proceeded to undress, all the while looking outside his rooms viewing window. It sported a lovely view of the outer courtyard, as well as the large gates that protected them from intruders. Just beyond, James could barely see the tops of magnificent trees, swaying gently in the breeze. Inhaling, James savored the sight, pulling the slacks on with a slight hopping motion. A slight jingling indicated that his coin purse was tucked away safely in his pocket. Once he had those on, he slipped on his shirt, buttoned up the neck save for the last button and wrapped the red scarf around his thin neck.

Lastly, he retrieved his scimitar, belting it on in a professional manner. Now so attired, James slapped his hips, exhaling slightly. Time to get to it. Even though nerves always wracked him before any assignment, he always hoped for the thrill of something gone awry. Perhaps it was a trait passed on by his law-breaking father, who had lived on the edge everyday until he was shot and killed attempting to rob a noblewoman. That must have been it. With an ever increasing spurt of adrenaline, James opened his door, leaving it ajar slightly, and proceeded down the hallway. Within no time, he was heading towards the cellar door. Hearing Charlotte whisper, Jame answered in a whisper in kind. "Yeah, I'm here. Ready to get on with it, eh?"
 
"Well, Its been a long day," Charlotte said as she slowly opened the cellar door, stepping out cautiously to avoid any too loud sounds. She then fixes her dress and moves in the shadows, knowing James to be close,"I also have something extra to pick up, so you can run ahead of me." She turned back and smiled at him as they came to the outskirts of the main city, where she put up her hood to hide her face. She smirked as she moved into the town, footsteps light.

She walked up to where the last merchants were tucking away their wares for the day. She looked up from beneath her hood to look at the merchants, before her eye caught onto a noblewoman and man looking at a servant like butchers would a cattle. She grit her teeth and looked at James, trying not to go at them.

Servantry was always a subject that lit a fire into Charlotte. Being a former servant herself gave her insight on what really happened, and her mother's death didn't help. However, she simply clenched her fist and looked away, slightly shaking.
 
As soon as they had left the castle, the Fox had taken James. The boy's eyes were now a hot, feral amber and his movements were that of a woodland predator. Despite this animal appearance, the spirit held intelligence and prowess unrivaled by mortals. It caused James to smirk wolfishly as they drew nearer into town. His stealth easily matched Charlotte's, making their movements appear to be those of trained killers. Upon viewing the slave auction, the Fox fingered the hilt of James's scimitar. Despite urges to cut them down, the spirit animal was wise enough to know that open confrontation would tax James's form to the limit. Casting a sideways glance at Charlotte, the Fox smiled through James. "In time, my dear. In time." it whispered.

Continuing past the filthy transaction, the Fox made it's way into the main market, searching for their correspondent. A whole line of stalls were set up, accompanied by the cries of those who attended them. Civilians bustled through the narrow space in between, viewing wares with differing glances, depending on their particular wealth. After a light inspection, the silk and clothing stall came into view. It stood two stalls before the end. On display were all manner of finery, of such a quality that you would have to be of some sort of renown or importance in order to legitimately afford such a glamorous piece.

"Hail Gramar." The Fox said in a silky, businesslike tone. The voice caused the merchant to cast eyes upon them both. Strangely, a look of fear filled his features. Approaching them in a non conspicuous manner, the merchant hissed a warning. "Not today, friends. I just can't. I'm under a fairly high level of suspicion after our last transaction. Just narrowly avoided being ferreted out." His eyes spoke the truth. With a sigh, the Fox tapped his foot contemplatively. This was going to be harder than expected. "Is there anything we can do to oil up the deal, Gramar?" the spirit animal inquired.

Swallowing audibly, Gramar wiped his forehead, casting quick glances around them. "I thought you might ask that." he said nervously, wringing his hands a bit. "There are two castle informants," he began in a hushed tone, "that bare the responsibility for nosing in my business. Their names are Podge and Fangar. They spend the brunt of their time at the slave auction, viewing the merchandise. If they were to experience, say, an accident, then I would assure you a fine load to bring back with you." He straightened up abruptly as a customer approached, immediately ministering to their needs. The Fox cast an adventurous glance towards Charlotte. "What do you say, my dear? Up to the task?" James's teeth bore points as the Fox smiled curiously.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlotte, who had shifted her weight on one hip, looked at the slave auction people. Her face, ever so blank usually, broke into a sneer,"I don't have Nectar, so I can't move as fast. I will do what I can." With that, she turned and looked for the wine bearers of the nobles, and found one who left to get more wine, and followed after them.

She grabbed the poor girl and whispered in her ear,"I can set you free. You, and your friends. Just follow my rules." Feeling goosebumps on the girl's neck, Charlotte smirked as the girl whispered,"How? Who are you?"

"Call me Hummingbird. That's all you need to know," slowly, Charlotte slipped a vial into the girl's hands, "Pour a tiny bit of that into everyone's cup. When they... Collapse, you and the others may be asked to drink it as well. Pretend to faint."

"But won't they ju-"

"Then wait until they put your bodies in the ditch, and follow the woman in black that will appear.," With that, Charlotte pushed the girl outside the shadows, and walked back over the Fox,"Give it a few minutes, and watch."

When the auctioneer did a pre-auction toast, the nobles all drank their goblets of wine, prompting Charlotte to count," 3, 2, 1-"

In almost an instant, the beautifully dressed highborns seemed to drop like flies, even the auctioneer. People began screaming hysterics and running away, causing chaos. No knights came by, which shocked Charlotte, so she whispered to James,"Get moving, I'll set them loose."

Charlotte moved fast as the girl she cornered earlier had gotten her companions, and looked around. She spotted Charlotte and pointed to her, trying to make it as fast as she can. Charlotte messed with the shackles of the slaves, trying to get them unlocked from the keys she found on the auctioneer's belt.
 
With a glint of amusement in his eyes, the Fox jogged back to market. The merchants were all craning their necks, attempting to see what was causing all the commotion. Some had even left their stalls in order to investigate. Gramar, however, was privy to the goings on and stood firmly at his stall. "Your problem has been handily sorted out, Gramar. And in return?" The Fox said, slightly impatiently, as he did not favor taking James's will for this long. He was highly fond of the boy, and felt it was intrusive to do a prolonged possession. Gramar nimbly hefted a crate from behind his stall, directing it into the Fox's waiting arms. "For your trouble." he said, winking.

Now that they had secured the goods, the Fox relinquished his hold on James. Eyes returning to their green hue, the boy took a moment to take in all that had just transpired. The Fox actively filled him in through a mental connection. Pleased, James moved quickly back towards their secretive route home. As he moved he looked towards the mayhem that was the slave auction. Charlotte was freeing slaves, which caused him to halt a moment. He would need to help her before they could head back. With quickness, James tucked the crate behind some mead barrels and sprinted towards Charlotte.

"Anything I can assist you with Charlotte?" he said urgently, understanding it would be only a few minutes before the guard swooped down on them.
 
"Hurry, take the slaves. I have something to take care of, I'll hold them off. Run!," Charlotte whispered in a rushed tone as she set the last man free, and pointed at James,"Follow him, he will guild you to safety! "

As the slaves ran off, Charlotte pulled her needles from her hair and jumped at an incoming guard, shoving one in his jugular, before yanking it out and running with a panicking bunch. In the chaos, she slipped behind a building. Behind the building, she put down her hood and shook out her hair, looking at the evening sky, and where Nectar was hiding.

'Good job, Lottsa. You managed to get them a perfect disguise,' Nectar said, flying closer to Charlotte.

"Arla? Arla?," An old man said, calling out. Charlotte smiled,"Mr.Vale! I'm glad you're safe! "

The man smiled as he patted her head,"I take it you're the reason everyone is pulling their hair? Clever, clever girl. Your father would be proud." Charlotte grinned as he handed her the crate he had arrived with set beside him,"Be careful, love. What you did, you deserve the extras in there." Mr.Vale winked, and Charlotte nodded back as Nectar formed the mask and sped to the cellar doors.
 
"On it!" James said, motioning to the slaves. "Stay on my tail, and don't look back!" Turning tail, James scurried towards the barrels, pulling the crate out. The scream of a guard being offed caused him to quicken his pace. The footsteps of many echoed through the confined space of the city alleyways as they broke into the outskirts, drawing nearer to the castle with every step. Many of the slaves were crying audibly behind him. It seems that they were overwhelmed with joy at having been set free. A warm swell filled James's chest. It felt good to know that a few more souls would be able to sleep at night without the suffocating oppression of the Royal Family and their horrible rule on their backs.

Once he had made his way into the under works of the sanctuary, James slowed his pace. At this moment, he took a look at the gathering behind him. Most were women, due to their overwhelming popularity in the slave trade. A few ragged looking men could be seen amongst them, carrying just enough muscle on their bones to push a plow. To his disgust, James saw children with him as well. Haggard and underfed, they looked at him as if he was a divine being, come to save them from an eternity of damnation. Tears began to fill his eyes. The Royal's would pay for this treachery. He would see to that.

Clearing his mind and wiping his eyes, James intoned his voice over the murmuring of the small crowd. "Hear!" he said loudly, causing all of them to hush. With an exhale, James set down the clothing crate and licked the sores that the crate had left on his hands. Then, he addressed them. "Are you all glad to have your freedom?" A hearty cheer arose at this. Satisfied, he continued. "Alright then! Make no mistake, I am as glad as you all are to have you here with me. The woman who freed you will be here soon, and I want you all to personally thank her upon her arrival. Until then, we shall wait outside. We will go over the terms of your stay upon entry." All of them nodded, still contemplating the amazing fact that they were no longer slaves.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Charlotte's form skidded to a halt as she made it to where James had grouped the slaves. Her body, still glowing with the excess energy Nectar had funneled into her, rose from its slumped position as she set down the box. Taking a deep breath of air, Charlotte straightened her back and brushed off her dress, the light blue energy scattering like dust.

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Charlotte.," She said as she turned around and looked up, her one good eye glinting in the fading light,"I, who unlocked your shackles and killed the blue blooded bastards, welcome you to freedom. I know what its like, being a slave, which they glorify to servant. I know the misery of being a child and a teen in the grips of the pigs, those who took my family, and my own sight,"She gestured to her scarred eye, which opened, making her shake a bit from the pain it caused.

"However, freedom has its price. I now owe my lives to my friends," She gestured to James,"And my revenge to those who think they can mark me for life." Nectar smirked as she flew around Charlotte, leaving a trail of blue pixie dust.

She moved to look to the town, before looking at the slaves,"I beg you, find a path that doesn't break your back. Blood Moon, the group we ride with, always has an open door." With that, she looked at James, "Let's go home." She picked up her crate and began walking again.
 
Observing contentedly as the gathering shuffled excitedly into Blood Moon sanctuary, James nodded. "I'll be in shortly, Charlotte. Why don't you escort our new guests in? As you know, any proper hero stands at the helm of his or her victory. I myself would like to indulge in this fresh air for a while longer." Eyes unreadable, he silently proceeded to walk out the way they came, emerging onto the fresh grassy expanse that grew wildly around the castle. Looking skyward as he slowed his pace to a "milling about", James crossed his arms, sighing. The sky was a pleasant blue today, flecked here and there, as it often was, with wispy clouds traveling ever so slowly towards the horizon. His gaze lingered on them for a good while, studying them with a slight envy. If only his existence was as simple. Looking resignedly back towards the Earth, James unfolded his arms. With short, careless steps, he continued wandering the grassy area, attempting to impose true relaxation on himself after the large amount of work he had just done.

A gentle breeze suddenly passed as the Fox emerged from his chest in a brilliant display of light, taking on its physical form just in front of him. James looked up to meet it's gaze, unphased by the showy entrance. It looked back at him with fondness, tending to its front paw with short licks. In a regal fashion, of course.

"You did well today." James said to the Fox, walking up to it and stroking its head. Although the Fox was dignified and intelligent, it allowed James alone the privilege of occasional petting's. "I'm not sure what I'd do without you, old friend."

"The feeling is mutual, James." The Fox said softly, moving its head slightly so that James would scratch the untended areas. "I chose you for a reason. Never forget that."

A distant look came to James's eyes at this. He moved his hand down to the Fox's back, running his hands affectionately through its fur. "You've never told me what that was."

With something akin to a grin, the Fox replied as mystically as usual. "You already know. You just haven't realized it yet."

With that being said, the Fox gracefully dematerialized, flowing back into James's chest. The re-entry left a pleasantly warm sensation throughout his whole torso. James laughed aloud. "You stubborn old Fox." he chuckled, making his way back towards the sanctuary, now thoroughly relaxed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back