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[Taricus]

"Very well, send her in. She might as well pick this up." Laythe gestured to the mirror. She then returned her attention onto her goblet, and continued drinking the someho unspoilt wine inside it.

---

Alessandro escorted the couple into Laythe's tent, then resumed standing guard at his post. "So, I guess you're not dead after all? Means that you get to keep your lands then." Laythe had a bit of a chuckle at that possibly horrid black joke, but nevertheless she did. "Well, at the very least, I think this may be yours." She once again pointed at the cracked and tarnished mirror. "I am curious why you came to me yourself though. I would've assumed you'd have just sent a messenger upon your return..."

[Dwarmin]

'Tala' nodded. She ran her hand down the edge of the mirror, and confirmed. She supposed most of her furniture was decroating some Dragon Empire Commanders quarters now-at least she had thought to keep Hugo's painting rolled up in her war chest.

The Queen seemed to be...defeated, almost. Surely she could give up so easily.

"Twas my mirror, Queen Laythe-but a womans countenance such as ours need no reflection to prove them...you may keep it, if you wish. I have no tent to call my own in which I could store it, anyway."

She took a seat at the table. How to put this carefully...

"Also, yes-not quite dead. In fact, more alive than I've been in a long time...

Simply put, My Queen-and this may hardly be the right time for it-I have fallen in love with Commander Dolgrouki. I am young and foolish, and this is my own choice, no others.

...In fact, I've loved him since the moment I saw him, and only now can admit it. We will be married by this Summer, by all accounts...but, I would like to hear her majesties thoughts on this...and perhaps to gain your blessing-personally, and of Ligoria."

Tala let the silence string out a moment, smiling and closing her eyes-she was hardly in the room at all-imagining a storm of green rose petals as they walked down the aisle, triumphant organ music, the flutter of a magnificent white dress...

[Taricus]

Laythe nealy had a spittake upon hearing Tala's announcement, but wisely did not do that and thought upon that for a few moments. "Well, I suppose there is no coercion there. Alright, I fully support you and Pasha being married. Now this point onwards, He shall be known as Baron Pasha Alanis, in accordance to marrying into your house. How does that sound?" Laythe was quite happy at this arrangement once she thought about it, it would provide a legitimate reason to let the people have a day or so to celebrate despite the defeat the army had suffered at Mileth.

[Dwarmin]

"That suits me fine, my Queen. Absolutely perfectly..."

Indeed. A Baron! Her name and his...well, her fake name, anyway. They would have a much smaller thing after all the festivites, where she and he were married for real...

Tala then spoke in an odd voice, almost as if to herself. She folded her hands.

"I am truly happy now, despite all that has transpired...war has shown met how so very frail and small...alone we all are...but I am content to be alone no longer. It shall be an amazing wedding, and all the kingdom shall be invited.

Has the Queen given thought to her own love life, also? Issue of inheritance aside, you are yet younger I, My Queen. Have you not had these foolish thoughts like mine? Sometimes it helps...I learned myself, long ago. One cannot bear the weight of the world on their shoulders alone. You least of all."

Tala smiled warmly.

[Taricus]

Laythe's voice grew fairly distant. "...I gave up that foolishness a long time ago, and I'd rather not think back on that." It sounded more back after that sentence was uttered though. "As for inheritance, I'll think of something."

[Dwarmin]

Tala nodded serenely.

"It is as much a personal choice as it is a responsibility, My Queen. I do not doubt yours will be more difficult than my own, and I do not envy that...

As always, my Queen, I am available to listen to your thoughts if you wish to profess them. As for now...I would also be content to spend the night with the man I love, given your leave. Whatever you desire."

Tala waited patiently, for the Queen to either show some backbone and speak honestly for once, or to dismiss her and find some solace in a goblet of wine. There was no judgement in this-one had to deal with lonliness somehow.

[SeriousConcentrate]

(Time to drop some plot on Dwarmin! )

"I'm glad to receive your majesty's approval," Pasha said. He stepped forward. "There is something private I must tell you, although Tala needs to hear it as well." He noticed how she had just reacted to Tala's question of love, and he was sure he knew why Laythe had answered as she did. There had to be a level of trust between them greater than what they currently had for him to be part of her country, and this had to come out in the open sooner rather than later. "It is about Lord Marlax. More specifically, how when we first met, Tala said that I worked for him. It's true, in a sense. I did conduct many... operations... under Dysevik."

"The truth of the matter is that Lord Marlax was a busy man, and many of his sons filled such roles for him according to their abilities and the favor he felt for them." He frowned and looked to the side. "And for a time the leader of his forces was his most favored bastard: Atrineas Marlax, a tactician and assassin who had proven himself under other nobles. He was chosen to continue the Marlax line and given a new name of Dysevik's choosing. During Atrineas's time as commander, Dysevik made arrangements between a distant country and his own. A planned marriage." He looked over at Laythe to judge her reaction. "Two things happened that neither family could predict. The bride slaughtered her entire family, while the groom lost his heart to another woman during a stopover in Dalannor to take part in a festival."

Pasha turned to look outside, not wanting to look at either of their faces at the moment. "And the groom did something stupid. After a time he returned to his father's lands and protested the marriage, hoping to appeal to the lord's better nature. In a rage Dysevik stripped him of his name, his command, and his rights, banishing him to the dungeons. After months of physical and mental torture, worrying that he would never again see the woman he loves, the bastard was eventually brought before his father once more. And Dysevik took pity on him for reasons I still cannot fathom. The bastard was exiled and told never to return or use the name he had been bestowed ever again."

And so under the name his mother had given him, he drifted from land to land, never wanting to be tied down to any lord or master again... until now." He shrugged helplessly. "That's my side of the story, Queen Ralia. I can't condone my father's actions, or the things I did in his name... but I wanted you to know who I am... and perhaps ease your mind about a marriage you want no part of. Those plans have been canceled, and you'll never need worry about me pursuing them. I love Tala." He spread his hands. "I'm sorry I can't explain myself any better than that. Just that I love her, and I'll take up Ligoria's cause as my own in her name. Regardless of the past, I'll serve you to the best of my abilities."

[Dwarmin]

Tala was quite literally speechless-she has guessed some of it, pieced together a few details, but never the full story until now.

The depths of the horror Pasha had endured. To remain whole. If there was any darkness within Pasha, she had been willfully blind to it up till now. But it was clear he had Demons to rival her own.

She felt the urge to know-why had he chosen her then? He had thrown away so much, all for her sake. Hers had been the face he had taken into the dungeon with him...why why why...

But...to show how much she needed him in front of the Queen, could be dangerous.

So, she turned on her instead.

"I did not know the full story. It is...bitter to hear, but they do say knowledge increaseth sorrow...

I can only beg of you not to condemn Pasha for his past, my Queen-if you do so, I will understand, for I will be condemned alongside him, and share his fate. Whatever it might be.

But...we have all done...horrible..things, have we not? To survive. I know-people can change...we can be forgiven."

Tala was, of course, talking about the Queen and Pasha...and herself.

"We can choose Redemption-not only for ourselves, but those we love...as long as we live, there's always a chance, right? There's always hope."

[Taricus]

Laythe was shocked deeply by Pasha's revelation. Never once did she ever thought back on the incident that led her onto this path, and never once did she want to.

"What... I..." Laythe had to take a few deep breaths before continuing. "If what you say is true, Pasha, then you are no longer Marlax. Redemption will not be easy for you however. You want it, then Dyshevik Marlax must die."

[thatkid]

Before you can say anything, she blurts out her name.
"Sorry, I forgot to mention my name, its Lizzy..."

She ignores your first question.
[5] "Just a regular chapter and some lads and lasses picked up along the way...But those ones ain't trained good. They just been blooded...So your a merc group, right? The lord won't pay you much for anything you do. He doesn't have very much money to pay new mercs...The things my boss had to do to get the tightfisted bastard to hire him would make you laugh."

Terryn's face remained impassive. Perhaps some other mercenary group had already hired her? It would explain how she had gotten this far out here. Yet...the place still stunk of true Lonemine involvement. He could not be sure. Wrapping his fingers about the hilt of his longsword, he turned to face the other gate guard.
"Your friend is taking too long." He stated in a matter of fact tone, venom seeping into his words as he amended an order: "You best tell him to hurry up. The Thornbred do not enjoy being kept."

[Dwarmin]

Franz wondered if it would be possible to dip the Double Noughts into civil war, thought it would probably make Awalia reinforce her defences. It will still greatly weaken the Double Noughts and it might cause a death to Awalia, if not, then he will see to it.

Find a human Double Noughts boss who's position is dearly wanted by a Hatcuri. Find out the bosses daily routine and his defences.

[4]

Investigation reveals a suitable subject-one Laz Milwort, and old hand who has been in the gangs power structure for many years. He's a Dubs boss who recently suffered a string of personal and professional failures to 'unforseen' circumstances, and is expected to retire soon, if he wants to or not. Word on the street is, while he still commands respect, his position is getting difficult to maintain. Several Hacturi are vying for his spot and non-Hacturi competition is being removed or intimidated away.

[4][2]

His daily routine is mostly spent in his office, with about a dozen nameless enforcers guarding him, no more. He's not known to be anything more than a routine fighter, and age has sapped him of his former strength at arms-these days, his true skill is in orginization, bribery and bookkeeping, and cleaning up evidence.

[vagel7]

Franz went to the Bleeding Scales and asked to talk with Hugo, he was directed to his office. Opening the door he saw Hugo working on a landscape painting and without turning from the painting he said to close the door.

"Good day Hugo. About that little job of mine, what would you say if I would make them go into civil war. The Double Noughts that is. I would of course also guarantee the death of Awaria. This would raise the price of my service to a total of 2 ducats though."

[Dwarmin]

"What... I..." Laythe had to take a few deep breaths before continuing. "If what you say is true, Pasha, then you are no longer Marlax. Redemption will not be easy for you however. You want it, then Dyshevik Marlax must die."

"I have no doubt this man deserves it..."

What Tala didn't say was the apprehension she felt at it. Removing a Lord was not an easy task...it required either an army, or a knife in the dark, and Lord Marlax was well defended against both. She did not want to lose Pasha just as she thought they would be together...

"Yet, how does the Queen suggest justice be achieved?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Pasha shook his head 'no.' "I'm not asking for vengeance or justice. All I want is there to be an understanding between the three of us. I felt that unless you heard the truth from me, someone-" and it was probably clear to Tala that he meant Matthew Turin. That bastard could be counted on to try something so low "-would tell you a falsehood so close to the truth it would be difficult to distinguish the two. Kothitas is south of Moun, anyway; it's too far from here to wage a war without catching other countries in the middle, and I wouldn't ask you to do so on my behalf."

"On the other hand, I know my father very well. When word reaches him that Ligoria's siege failed, he may decide to capitalize on our perceived weakness... but I doubt he's going to rush in. He'll wait and watch for a time to see if conquering Ligoria would be worth the losses and whether he could trust a regent left to manage either kingdom in his absence, but we should prepare for him coming sooner or later. Just in case." He turned to look at Laythe and Tala. "When Tala came to me last night, we had the chance to run away and leave all of this behind us, to make our own fate... but we came back to stand beside Ligoria. All I beg is that you allow us that, your majesty."

[Taricus]

"I never said we had to go after him immediately, as we will need preparation to do so. And if you want to stand by my side against my foes... Very well, I approve of it."