Succession: Rebellion

(It seems fine to me.)

"That is the Royal Seal," Baruti announced as he stepped into the hall. The old man seemed to be the same as ever, though he seemed to have acquired a walking stick. Whether this was for show or not remained to be seen.

He turned to Tsuba and bowed, "Empress, I think this boy might have interesting information."

Tsuba

The Empress' eyes narrowed at the amulet. "Very well. Senka, stand down for now. Speak, boy. I have little patience for you."

She motioned over to her guards and they discreetly began to cover all the exits.

"Tell them your name, where you come from, and why you are here. Nothing more." Amarok instructed, telepathically. Annak nodded. At this point he would be lucky to make it out alive, so he needed to open the letter, present it to the empress, and leave, easy as that.

"My name is An-" Annak began, but stopped himself. His mother's words rung in his ear.

When you are in the Empire, your name is Astair. It is the name your father gave you before you were born, so it is the name you will be recognized by.

"My name is Astair." he said, beginning again, keeping a cool and confident demeanor. "My mother fell due to illness not long ago, and before she died, she entrusted me with this letter, and amulet, and told me to bring the letter to the Emperor. She told me that it held information about my father that would concern the Emperor of Gaboria." he explained, telling his story to the Empress. She was obviously not the person that his mother had spoken of. "I have come here to honor my mother's dying wish, and present to you the contents of this letter." he told her, and pulled the letter out from his jacket pocket. He promptly opened the envelope, and pulled out a sheet of paper with the same insignia as the amulet on it at the bottom, beside a signature. The letter was brief and formal. He read it to himself before he spoke.

I, Emperor Anpu, claim this Skraeling child, Astair as my kin. This child is my selection as successor to my Empire, and shall replace me when I die. As is my will, that will be done.

Annak's eyes widened as he read the three short sentences. Perhaps escape would not be quite so easy after all. Amarok read the letter from below, and seemed just as shocked as Annak.

"Call an intermediary. Get somebody else to read the letter for you. Saying that out loud yourself is guaranteed to get you killed on the spot." Amarok advised. Annak agreed.

"May I ask that a member of the court read this for me, so that you may know that the words that are written are indeed true." Annak suggested.

Tsuba

"Senka, bring me that letter." Tsuba ordered. Whatever that letter said, the boy seemed reluctant to read it. That couldn't bode well for him, and possibly her.

Baruti frowned as he felt the familiar seal upon his forhead light up. He spoke, "Your majesty, it seems that I am compelled to read the letter. An enchantment to ensure that Emperor Anpu's will is done even with him in the grave. His will gain precedence over yours in this case, according to Gaborian Law."

"I, Emperor Anpu, claim this Skraeling child, Astair as my kin. This child is my selection as successor to my Empire, and shall replace me when I die. As is my will, that will be done."

The Steward's eyes widened as he finished reading the letter, the seal on his forehead glowing once again, "This letter is genuine and I sense the bloodline flowing though the boy. He has a stronger claim to the throne than even an Heir backed by the Five Generals, an Heir like Empress Tsuba."

He looked thoughtful.

"The boy was foolish to come here," he said.

It was a pity that the boy hadn't arrived sooner. Anpu could have stolen his body instead of having his spirit banished to the Netherworld when he tried to take over Tsuba's when she assumed the throne. It would have been easier, the boy being a direct descendant and even if Annak fended him off, that would have been proof that the boy was worthy to rule.

Senka

Senka glared at the boy as she realized that he was trying to cause trouble for the Empire, and by extension, Tsuba as well. "What would you like me to with the boy, your Majesty?" She asked Tsuba while gripping onto a short sword she had sheathed behind her back.

Annak was stunned when the legitimacy to his right to the throne was proven, and that he was the child of the late Emperor, and more than that, his successor. Annak listened, but did not respond. He was speechless. Then came talk from the assassin of how he would be dealt with. Still, he did not respond, so it was Amarok who stood.

"You shall not harm this boy!" The white dog barked out loud, so all could hear. "It is clear he has no desire for the throne." he continued.

Tsuba

"Did....that animal just talk? Well, never mind. I've seen stranger things. That boy may not want the throne, but I cannot let you just leave here. Senka, kill him." Tsuba ordered. She looked around the room, making sure her guards had all the exits covered.

Amarok looked around the room. They were completely trapped in here, and Annak was still speechless. He would need to intimidate the guards so they could escape, because it was clear that nothing would scare the empress into letting them leave. Amarok padded slowly towards the throne and began to grow, no longer staying in the form of a hunting dog, allowing himself to take on his true form of a Dire Wolf. With every step he grew. Bigger, stronger, more lethal. "Touch not a hair on that boy's body if you prefer your throat where it is." Amarok warned. "For he has the protection of the spirits upon him." he continued, adding a little bit of a bluff to his threat. Amarok let out a mighty roar to further intimidate the guards. It seemed to be working too. He could see some of the armor clad goons silently pray that he would not be the first attacked. "But if you let he and I leave peacefully, no harm shall come to ye." he told them, hoping that Annak would soon join in so they could escape.

Senka

Senka's eyebrows raised as the dog began to talk, but she said nothing until after it had turned into a wolf and began making threats. "If you leave, or even step to the side and let these beings escape, I will personally cut off your head and present it to the Empress. Do you understand!?" Senka asked as she glared at one of the more frightened looking Guards.

"Yes Mam!" All of the Soldiers shouted in unison. Senka nodded in satisfaction before she pulled both of her short swords out. "Well then, Spirit, are you prepared to die for your Ward?"

Something Ana always hated about catching her own meat was the fact that she had to light a fire to cook it. The bright flames of her fire were hidden down in the earth in what was called a fire hole, but she had had to leave much of the top of the hole uncovered, so that she could cook her bird, and it was causing tendrils of smoke to rise up in the air, giving away her position to anyone who happened to notice.

As quickly as the bird was cooked enough to make it safe to eat, she doused the flames and covered the hole back up. Her orange eyes stared at the spot her fire had been and she frowned, knowing that she could not completely hide the fact that she had been here--too much earth had been shifted for that.

Instead of dwelling on that, she filled her empty stomach. As she ate (and scanned the forest for danger), her mind turned to the state of the land she was in.

This place reminded her of when her own land had changed kings. Things had been so chaotic then, and anybody who was even the slightest bit of a threat was sought after and killed. A strategy like that made many enemies--but it also gave her work. Speaking of work, she needed to find a new job soon. She was running low on money.

Ana stored the leftover meat in her right pouch and then quickly went about the task of concealing the fact that she had ever been here. She didn't think that she had been here long enough to have an assassin sent after her, or some such other person, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Her camp returned back to the forest, Ana left the place as silently as she had come upon it.

Her destination?

The big city.

C.C.

Once Nebi was taken down to the dungeons to await transportation, C.C. left the throne room and headed down toward the bottom of the palace. After awhile she arrived there, and carefully navigated her way to Nebi's cell. After distracting the guards, C.C. ducked inside and smiled at Nebi.

"It's...good to see you again, considering the circumstances." C.C. began, hesitantly approaching the young thief.

Sunny entered the room and took a deep breath. A lot of the guys when she first arrived as why she acted weird around them, especially when changing. Or why she had asked for her own room (which she did not get). Some assumed she was gay and Sunny was fine with that.

"Rhys I have come to give you the reports," Sunny said, feeling a little less nervous now.
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"It's unfair that I get treated badly because of my race and not because I do my job poorly," Nell said, his ears dropping with the rest of his face. "And I do do my job well."

Nebi smiled at C.C. as he stood up. He couldn't help embracing her and kissing her quickly on the mouth.

"It's the one good thing about being brought here again," he told her looking her up and down, happier memories surfacing in his mind. He continued, "You're as beautiful as ever. I just wish I could have goaded the Bitch Empress into a duel. Even with the throne, she couldn't have beaten me."

C.C.

C.C. said nothing in reply at first, simply kissing and hugging Nebi back. She let go of him reluctantly after a few minutes passed.

"I wish I could help you escape, Nebi, but I can't leave the palace without the Empress' permission. However, I can tell you about the place you're going." the Mage said. She placed a hand over Nebi and began to heal some of his more grevious wounds.

Nebi closed his eyes, sighing in relief, both at her touch and the power he felt flowing into him, healing him and restoring a little of his own energy.

"I know, C.C.," he told her with a said smile, "I'm just sorry I couldn't become Emperor and free you."

C.C.

"It's alright." C.C. assured. Once she was done with her healing, she went on.

"Kegan and Carlisle are at the Arena as well. Find them, and work together so you can escape. At this point, your only hope to take down Empress Tsuba would be to join the rebellion. They may be disorganized, but are many in number."

((Sorry for taking so long; I'll edit my profile later, sorry. D:))

Liona wandered through the streets of the city. The capital of Gaboria seemed to be very crowded today. One person caught her eye as he headed for what seemed like the palace. A young man with long dark hair and tattoos all over him, and a big white dog. She wondered what the occasion was. And why more people had started to come to the kingdom with Tsuba being empress.

She hadn't understood the circumstances back two years ago, but now she knew how terrible this place was. And it was under Empress Tsuba that she now had to work. And she was alone...

Liona shook the thoughts from her head and tried to focus back on job. Today, she was supposed to look out for rebels. She was sure that she was only sent out on a wild goose chase because she wasn't of much use to the Empress today. How was she to tell who was a rebel simply be looking at them? She felt a sudden shot of uselessness. She should be able to determine that. It was what she'd wanted for years...

But there was a part of her that just wanted this terrible woman's reign to be over.

With that, an image suddenly returned to her mind. Two strange figures, hovering around the entrance to the sewers... she took a deep breath, and started for that place. Regardless of who reigned over the kingdom, she had to stay loyal.

Nebi nodded in agreement at the first part, but frowned at the part about joining the rebels. He spoke, "Are you sure the Rebellion would accept us? All three of us are Heirs. Some factions of the rebels would want to kill us."

C.C.

"It's a risk you're going to have to take, Nebi." C.C. replied. She conjured up a key and handed it to Nebi.

"This should prove useful to you. This key will open any lock you use it for. However, you should only use it once you're at the Arena. And try not to get caught with it, either."

Nebi nodded, grinning a little as he used what little power he could to conjure a string. The humages had placed seals around his neck to prevent him from calling upon magic to escape, but small pieces of magic weren't prevented. Tying it around the key and placing it close to his heart, he couldn't help but feel a bit more confident.

"I will find a way to free you," he promised her, a serious look on his face, "I won't rest until I do."

C.C.

"I know. Please, be careful." C.C. kissed Nebi and held it for a few minutes before pulling back. She glanced one last time at him before leaving the cell. She avoided the patrols and made her way back to the upper levels of the palace. The immortal then began to search for Katie.

Rhys

"Oh, wonderful. Just put them on my desk, if you don't mind." Rhys ordered as he placed the other reports he had received down. "You know, you usually would have just left those in my office. I take it there's something you need to talk about?"
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Katie

"But you're not even poor at your job. That's the most annoying part of this whole thing. I mean, I have not seen one bug or stain in this part of the Castle for at least four months now!" Katie pointed out.
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Brighe

Brighe stumbled through the sewers, trying to ignore the stench as she looked down at the map she had had drawn out months ago, when she had found out that Kegan had been placed here.

Sunny placed the papers down and nodded. She didn't want to say anything but she felt that Rhys should know.

"It's nothing Sir. Just...some of the other soldiers say they are planning on getting me fired. They said they were going to report harassment, but I think it's because they feel it was unfair that I was promoted."

Sunny wasn't one for squealing, but she felt that it was unfair what some of the soldiers had planned.
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"I know. But it's ok. At least I still have my job," Nell said, trying to stay positive. "And not everyone hates me either," he added, smiling at her.

Rhys

Rhys sighed loudly before getting off of the bed. "Well that's not right. ...I doubt that you actually harassed anyone Sunny. And petty jealousy will not be tolerated. I'm the one who promoted you, I'll make sure that you keep your job." Rhys informed the Lieutenant as he placed his hand on Sunny's shoulders. "But first you need to tell me, is there anything incriminating that could be used against you?"
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Katie

"Well that's true." Katie replied, flashing Nell a smile in return.