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[Shootandrun]

Talama's response was to open its gates once more, to let another rider pass. This time, it was a knight; he wore a black and gold armor and greathelm, riding on a stallion and holding a white flag in his hands. He deposed it on the ground, right out of range of the wall's archers. Another rider quickly followed; it was the same messenger as before. He stopped in front of the enemy camp, and he shouted a few words.

"Lord Kathos wishes to discuss with the Queen!"

He then returned to the city. The gates remained open, in case the Lord Chancellor had to run for it.

[Taricus]

Laythe had gathered a few of here knights, and Alaria, sent out for the designated meeting ground. The archers may've been in range, and the rest of the knights mounted, but they were far more focused on the gate, watching to see if these negotiations were a cover-up for a sally out from the defenders.

Laythe and her horsemen stopped a few metres from the flag, keeping their distance from Kathos.

"So... I heard you had an offer for me. I suggest you start talking." The hatred and anger in laythe's voice was undeniable. This would most likely be a waste of time...

[Shootandrun]

Kathos sighed when he heard the queen speak. Disappointment could be heard in his voice when he spoke.

"Welcome home, Your Grace. I see you haven't changed. Welcome back to you two, Alaria. I hope you're liking your new leader so far."

There was some accusation in his voice, but mainly... Mockery. He was laughing at her. At her mistake. However, as soon as he turned back towards the Queen, he was serious again.

"I know what you'll ask, Laythe. Unconditional surrender. Well, I will have to disappoint you. It is not in my power to give you this city. Still, I can grant you the nearest thing.

Nikephoros is dead... By my hand. Tala and Pasha are not interested in politics. Hugo can be dealt with easily. Talvius is a coward, and he's hoping to get out of this alive. There are no more rebels in the high ranks of the city. Still, I have a little problem. You and your knights killed thousands of ligorians - don't deny it. I saw the field of corpses you left behind. There is not a single man, woman or child in the city you want to rule over who hasn't lost a family member because of you. I will be totally honest - if I suggested unconditional surrender to the soldiers on the walls, they'd skin me alive, behead  me, and send my head to you - probably with a poetic message like 'here's a loyalist for you, your grace'.

Still, not trying anything would only lead to deaths, which is why I've come to make my offer. I wish to let you talk to them. Convince them that you're the good queen you're trying to prove you are. Convince them you're worth putting back on the throne. If you can turn the soldiers to your side, I'll open the gates, and hope for mercy. If that does not work, you could try to intimidate them. If you can make the soldiers on the walls drop their weapons or flee, I'll open the gates, and hope for mercy. And failing all that, if you cannot turn the soldiers to your side, I'll give command of the battle to poor Talvius, and I'll assemble my forces at the palace, with the orders to rally the army here if their ranks break. If that happens, I'll welcome the survivors, convince them to surrender - it will be a matter of words, once they've tasted defeat - and I'll open the gates, and hope for mercy.

Is that a pleasing offer to you, Your Grace?"

[Taricus]

Laythe smirked at Kathos' tone. Looks like he needed to learn some humility...

"... If you want mercy, You'd be surrendering, but since you aren't you can expect none. I will show a rebel no mercy, and I will not suffer an offer any less of that. Especially one that leaves my a signifigant portion of my troops and vulnerable to capture. I am a fool no longer Kathos, and you will have to try much harder to get an easy victory.

Besides... I didn't intend to hurt anyone when I fled until someone lead the mobs to me. Then it devolved into a bloodbath that by all rights shouldn't have happened yet did, which means someone had to have led them there..." Laythe's tone started to get more accusitory towards Kathos.

[filiusenox]

The meeting with the Assassin, oh so long ago in Polca, (Child Of Armok):
"Actually...I've changed my mind. How would you like to stay in Polca and make sure Lord Terryn doesn't do anything? Be sure to pay you a ducat this coming spring."

In Ligoria
William buys rags and burning whiskey, making quite a few Lonemine Cocktails(Molotovs) with them. He also proceeds to buy a black-ish grey cloak, some felt to wrap the bottles in, and a long, long rope, as high as the walls of Ligoria are. Then he arranges yet another meeting with Kathos and maybe Talvuis.

[Araph]

Mark neared Talama, seat of power for the governmohmythere'sasiegehappening. He paused and squinted into the distance, observing the camps of soldiers and strangely open gates. Presumably some sort of parlay was happening. He'd heard about the unrest and power struggles, but most of that was horrifically distorted by hearsay. The only real facts that agreed were that the Lord Protector of Ligoria was dead and the queen was usurped. Other stories disagreed; the queen left on her own, the peasants drove her out, the current ruler deposed her... Well, he supposed he'd find out the truth now.

Mark heads down to the encampment barring the way into the city.

[Shootandrun]

"Very funny, Laythe. If you remember well, on the day the revolt broke out, someone had sent an assassin against me. I reached the palace and immediately informed you of what happened, and that more trouble might follow - and then I remained at the palace. I was inside when you sent out your cavalry - I saw you amongst the riders. So... How could I lead the mobs when I was with you, inside? I wonder."

The Lord Chancellor of Ligoria spat on the ground in front of the queen and her knights.

"You are insane, Laythe, insane and dangerous. It seems you still cannot separate fact from fancy, and you do not see the difference between wisdom and folly. I gave you a fair offer that could have avoided any bloodshed, and you refused. Now, I shall make another one - leave this kingdom and never come back, or you shall have to take your throne with fire and sword. The ligorians do not want you as their queen. You are a mass murderer and even your name still inspires hatred beyond the walls. I will fight, and so will the soldiers you see on these walls. You cannot starve us out before you yourself starve, and you cannot gain the favor of the people with the number of mistakes you made. You can try to storm the city, or you can leave."

He lowered the visor of his greathelm, and he started to back away.

"And remember, Good Queen of Ligoria, that even if you should manage to take Talama, you will have to rule it afterwards. Starting your new reign by forcing ligorians to massacre each other will be, I am sure, a good way to win the people."

Behind the visor, he smiled, and he bowed mockingly.

"Do I have your leave to return to the city, Your Grace?"

If Laythe attempts anything return to the city immediately. If they catch up, turn around and kill them all.

((Kathos is quite a few meters away from the queen or her knights))

[Skyrunner]

Eurika noticed a lone man coming down the road, and (probably) accompanied by a pair of the normal guards she went towards him.

"Who goes there, and what are you here for?"

He seemed to be a mercenary, or a knight, since mercenaries usually didn't tend to have marks.

[Araph]

Mark regarded the incoming party. There were two guards and a short woman, probably in her early twenties.

"My name's Mark Valerius. I'm just heading towards the city, although I'd hazard a guess that I wouldn't be able to enter with the siege in progress. If you don't mind me asking, who are you?"

[Skyrunner]

"What do you want to do in the city? Who are you, if any, associated with?" said Eurika, motioning towards the insignia the man displayed. She also decided to ignore the question the man asked for now.

[Taricus]

"Right then. I will NOT Allow YOU to slaughter any more of MY people. I gave you one chance for mercy, and you throw that in my face. Kathos thunderblade, you are NOTHING but a barefaced yellow-bellied dog who has insulted my honour. I may have changed Kathos, but that does not mean I do not have common sense, thus if you wish to fight, We fight NOW. I do wish to solve this without bloodshed however, but I will not let you stain my honour anymore.

And you see those towers behind me Kathos? Filled with true and honest men of valour ready to take the walls right now if need be. We don't have to starve you, we will cut you down where you stand if you force us to. And as for favour, I think they'd prefer a pious, rightful ruler over the scoundel and knave you are.

Thus, you have no leave to return to the city until we do solve this without bloodshed, Kathos."

Meanwhile, the Ambusher regiment moves in to surround Kathos while the negotiations are still ongoing.

[Araph]

He furrowed his brow slightly. So this was one of those people. Probably some arrogant minor bureaucrat, but Mark could afford to be polite.

"I'm just traveling. I'd be stopping in Talama to get a temporary job, probably. I don't really know, I don't plan every step of my journey." Mark responded. "I'm not associated with anybody. This is a personal emblem."

[Shootandrun]

Kathos looked around, and he smiled again.

"You talk of honor, and yet you seem to forget Mileth. You killed the Arctic Fox in the middle of negotiations while he was unarmed and turning his back to the city, and now you're probably trying to have me executed in the open field while I'm under a white banner. Do not speak to me of honor or piety - we both know you are lying. I gave you my offer and you threw it to my face. You wish to talk, we can talk. But we'll do it with my terms."

[Skyrunner]

"Oh, that's a shame. I'm sorry, but I believe you will have to be our guest for the while. Would you follow these gentlemen to your quarters? My name is Eurika, and I suppose I will be your host for the present and foreseeable future."

She asked the guards to guide him to the detaining tent, wherever that would be. She also followed the man there.

"Just a question, but what is your occupation? Being in a tent for weeks isn't going to be fun, and depending on the answer you could probably be let go in a sense of word."
She used her unofficial voice, instead of the Official Business Voice she put on just before, meaning she tried to be less stiff and formal and unfriendly. Being short, shorter than he, Eurika corrected herself, she had to look up at whoever that person was.

[Child of Armok]

Who is this Lord Terryn and where can i find him, milord?

After Lord William anwsers, Leandros took off to find this Terryn after retrieving his weapons.