A figure stood on a balcony, the amber hued streaks of Dusk's fading light bathed it and cast long shadows across the marbled terrace of a dimly lit room. Looking across the expanse of land that was Castle Wild, it held in its gaze a scene of despair. Arrayed over the southern walls of Castle Wild on the barren plains camped the host of an invading army... that's if you called standing still for days camping..the figure mused silently. Their dark armor glistened lazily in the dissipating rays of sundown, banners danced wildly in the dusty wind as a westerly blew across the plains. Their discipline was remarkable these Cabinians, for two suns they had stayed in those columns - wind whipped and sand blasted yet not a sound had escaped their ranks, no envoy had been sent either, whoever headed these forces was obviously not here for small talk...perhaps the Queen had overreached herself? Shrugging off the blasphemous thought the figure turned and stepped into the room, its back to the light, the dimly lit room chased away the shadows on its features revealing a lithe curvaceous figure clothed in boiled leather the color of night.
' Checking out the competition Ezay?' Came a voice from the darker recesses of the room.
Ezay tilted her head, the motion dropped away her cloak and exposed a lock of hair the hue of blood partially covering her pale but refined features. Recognition flickered through amber hued eyes,
'Harkon Frost, I knew I smelled a rat'
A figure stepped out from the gloom, bleached white hair and steel gray eyes regarded her with a bored look, a ghost of a smile lingered on his bearded mug,
'You do me much honor comparing me to such noble creatures Ezay, alas that I had the time to flirt with you but the queen requests your person, perhaps we can shift our romance for some other day?
She was by his side in a flash, a hand on his shoulder, no time to react her unusual strength forced him to his knees.
'You might have the queen blindsided, but make no mistake, I know what you are Harkon Frost'.
Frost chuckled softly, 'Your sadistic self is also equally stimulating my dear firebird, I'd love for this to go on but you must make haste to the queen lover'
The hand left his shoulder, a grunt of disgust and she was gone. Frost straightened slowly, the place where her hand rested on his shoulder smoldered and crackled as a small fires begun to erupt on the treated leather harness that held his bastard sword. Shaking his head, Frost walked across to the balcony and gazed across the walls where an invading army massed in the evening gloom. He unbuckled the harness and let the sword fall to the floor....Such beauty wasted he mused but such was the way of things wasn't it?
A shame really that everything wasn't what it seemed....a smile broke slowly upon his lips as he once again stared at the invading army.
... ... ... ...
When Haras was a child growing up on the streets of Wildonia, every dawn she would run to the base of the great walls and stare up at the lofty heights..waiting, anticipating the yellow flag hoisting that would signal the procession of the High Queen from the castle to the city gathering where surrounded by her Ferai, she would undertake the morning rituals of cleansing. Haras would then speed along the Queen's route, trying to catch a glimpse of the Queen and her legendary Ferai. It was on one of such days when she sped along the streets, her little feet kicking up dust and echoing from the walls of the old city that she had run into a Ferai. He towered over her in an armor of shinny ebony and mail fittings, a wicked scar ran from the base of his neck to rest on his chin, although just twelve blue suns herself and petite of stature Haras felt that this man was definitely the tallest human she had laid eyes on. Flat greenish eyes watched her from deep within the pits of a pronounced forehead. In a voice that sounded like grating stone he said
'The Queen will see you now'
Her life had changed that day, on this same day a few fourteen blue suns ago. She had been adopted by the Queen, made a heiress and now she sat upon the throne of Castle Wild, her once great city now a thing of mockery to the great cities of the east, once an impenetrable fortress of lore now dared to be out under siege by a riffraff army led by peculiar elements of her past. What she failed to acknowledge however was that perhaps it was her very actions to bring the Castle Wild back to its lofty peaks amongst the eastern great cities that inevitably led to its present predicament. Failing to win over the favor of the city deity, she had resorted to dark arts to bind its will to her commands, even resorted to communion with forces of the nether. For a grander cause she told herself for without the blessing of the city deity the Castle would not flourish. Mostly blinded by her efforts to resurrect the glory of the once great city, the citizenry failed to question just why the deity refused the new Queen. Wasn't she rightfully chosen by the former Queen? No it had fallen to outsiders to ask the right questions and now the hand that knocked on the door had finally given way to a shoulder charge. The infant empire of Cabina had decided to make its move after refusal of several inquiries to the throne. She saw through their false promises of aid and support, they wanted her throne! Just another battle amongst numerous campaigns, just another city to crush and absorb, but she wouldn't let them, she would rather take her city to the gates of nether than suffer occupation.
Haras Evid D'Gartaine, sat upon the throne, a dozen of her Ferai knelt before her in the throne room, each of them easily worth a hundred seasoned veterans, her calm demeanor reflected in their solid presence. The city would hold, it had to...until she was ready.
'Any news on our friends beyond the gate?' She drawled, helping herself to fruit marinated in sour wine.
Efay O'zernice stood slowly, brushing her mane of long golden hair from her face, she faced the queen.
'As you suspected, they are Cabinians..our forces on the wall say they saw the standard of a black Vorian bull leading the vanguard...more intelligence now available to us gave us a name...Tare Erathos'
A slight frown flashed across the Queen's flawless features but was quickly replaced by a bored look. She eased another fruit between her lips and bit into its juicy innards savoring the explosion of sweet nectar.
'If Tare is here then another is close by but we need not fear anything from him...he has no hold here.
Efay gave a sharp nod and another figure stepped forward Osab en Kar, his gray armor shimmered betraying sorceries invested in its forge-foundations.
'The matter about the' - a distant explosion cut him short, rushing to the windows were several of the Ferai, Gaskl Puo turned to the Queen a disgusted look on his face.
'They are upon us'
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