Succession: Rebellion

Rein

Rein gave an appreciating smile and giggled at his joke.

"Thanks, Kegan. But...I'll look ugly. You won't like me then." Rein mumbled, looking away from Kegan.

Xen Lu

"I will do as you ask," Xen Lu mumered to the nobleman Stienberg as he took a sack of gold from him.

(It's fine. )

"Hn..." Sten grumbled, hitting Kegan on the head lightly (in his mind, at least). He spoke, "What's that supposed to mean?"

*

"Well, I found out that I had the Royal Bloodline and that it's strong in me," Nebi admitted to Gaita, feeling a little self-conscious. He never flat out told anyone before.

Epiphany just shrugged as Grace mentioned Fang and Kilo's names. She didn't really care who they were if they hated her. "I'm Epiphany. So how long have you been in here?"

Kegan

Kegan didn't know whether to laugh or reassure Rein at first. Though he didn't exactly have time to reply as suddenly Sten hit him in the back of the head. Who knows if it was because the Qunari was so strong, or because Kegan's elven body was frame was so fragile, but Kegan's head slammed into the wall behind him, and unfortunately, the Half-Elf was knocked out cold.
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Grace

Grace leaned back against the wall, her mouth closed tightly. Epiphany scared Grace, the way the Girl wasn't even phased by the fact that she was no in prison. That certainly said something. But Grace wasn't sure what. Was it that Kilo and Fang were right to dislike Epiphany because there really was something wrong with her? Maybe she was working with the Empire to trick them for some reason. But that wouldn't make much sense. ...Maybe it was because Epiphany was confident that she was going to get out of this situation somehow?

Grace had no idea which one it was exactly. But she supposed that in that case, she might as well make Epiphany feel more at home. Grace knew she'd want others to do the same for her. And so Grace replied. "Twenty-three days."
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Rhys

The Halls were empty as Rhys made his way toward the throne room. He had finished organizing all the information on the five teams sent after the Heirs. So far no one had talked to him about his odd entrance into the Castle that morning, but that was only because no had talked to Rhys since. It was why the Halls were empty.

But Rhys slowed down as he heard exaggerated whispering from down the hall. He recognized Kian Stienburg's voice, which was much louder and more distinct than whoever he was talking to. "Well what a surprise, Lord Stienburg is plotting something once again." Rhys mused to himself with a surprising bit of sarcasm as he walked around the corner.

Rein

"Kegan!" Rein cried out with shock and horror. She grabbed his slack body and tried to stir the unconscious boy. She glanced at Sten and glared at him.

"You idiot! Look what you've done!"

Xen Lu

Xen Lu heard Rhys coming down the hall before he came into sight. He alerted Lord Kian and the nobleman quickly took his exit. Xen Lu turned to Rhys and stared at him curiously.

"May I help you?" he asked in a gruff voice.

Rhys

Rhys studied the hooded man carefully for a few seconds before replying. "I'm the man in charge of making sure that this Castle and it's inhabitants are well defended. So I suppose I should ask, who are you and how can I help you?" Rhys stated pointedly in reply.

Xen Lu

"My name is Xen Lu. Both the Empress and Nobleman Stienberg have paid me for my assistance in a certain matter, of which I cannot speak of. You can help me by providing me a map of this castle." Xen Lu calmly replied.

Rhys

Rhys jaw remained closed for a few seconds as he glared at the mercenary for a few seconds. At least, he thought that it was a mercenary. He pretended to mull Xen Lu's question over for a few seconds before nodding his head. "Very well. Go down this hall, take a right and keep walking for about half a kilometer. Take a left and go up the stairs, go right until you reach the cartographers study. Tell them Captain Alwyn sent you and they'll give you whatever they can."

Xen Lu

The Elf nodded and started down the hall. He paused, though, when he was right next to Rhys.

"Do you require my services, Captain? I can help you in any endeavor you wish."

Rhys

Rhys bit the side of his cheek in response. While yes, there were a few things he could use help with considering a good chunk of his subordinates were gone now, Rhys really didn't think paying a mercenary seemed like a wise idea. He wasn't desperate after all. "No thank you." The Captain responded before turning around and walking away, recontinuing his journey to the throne room.

Xen Lu

The assassin nodded as he watched Rhys walk away from him. Xen Lu waited until the captain had fully retreated before resuming his own pace.

Mab nodded and moved to the dry spot. She motioned for Carlisle to sit across from her. She took out some supplies including a bundle of sticks, some different colored rocks, a small bowl and water.

Glancing nervously at Carlisle, she decided to explain her actions.

"This is not one of the more known ways, but it was one that Chris enforced I learn. I'm not sure how she knew how to do it being blind, but it works."

She picked up one of the five stones, a red one. "This indicates my love life, romantic or platonic." A blue one. "My inner thoughts and conflicts." A green one. "Money and success." A brown one. "Outer actions and conflicts." And a black one. "Death."

She broke up the twigs, placing them into the bowl. "I set the twigs on fire then place the stones into it. After five minutes I douse it and see what cracks or burn marks the stones have recieved. Don't worry I have more with me but not too many."

She set the twigs on fire and placed the stones in. "Now we wait."
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Eiden looked at the group who were searching the ruins. He shook his head at their pointless search. They weren't going to find anything.

"Silence you know what you have to do don't you?"

"I won't mess it up Eiden. Have faith in me."

"I always do." Then he shimmered away. Silence did the same only she moved to the ruins, right in sight of Maul's group.

Sunny looked to where she was, blinking at first, swearing no one was standing there a second ago.

"Guys! Someone's alive!"

Savina

It was almost like a cold breeze had blown right through her body at that moment. The five bodies... the pure systematic carnage around the square. It was awful. Savina looked away as Sunny announced that there had been a Survivor. The Sergeant suddenly spun around and looked towards where Sunny had been pointing towards, and he was right. There stood an unscathed young woman amongst the ruins of the city. The feeling of dread quickly left Savina though, as she smiled instead. "Thank the Gods...." She whispered to herself.
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Carlisle

Carlisle inhaled the smoke on accident, causing him to cough for a few seconds as he leaned back against a tree that was behind him. Though the Doctor hit the tree with his back a bit too hard, causing the tree to shake and sway. Snow fell off of the branches, and though the bowl and Mab remained untouched, Carlisle himself got quite a bit of the powdery snow over himself.

Carlisle's eyes opened wide for a few seconds as he processed what had just happened. Though seconds later he was busy muttering apologies to Mab while shaking the snow off of his head.
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Rhys

Rhys continued to walk down the halls alone. Though this time, instead of being bemused with the Maids behavior, the Captain was wonder what Lord Stienburg was planning this time. The Nobleman had a reputation amongst the Castle for always having some plot or scheme going on. Though he had never been caught with any incriminating evidence.

Still, there was no point in researching this plot. Not until someone was put in danger at least. Lord Stienburg was a great asset to the Empire. Putting him away in a prison cell would help no one. At least, that's what the Empress said last time Rhys had suggested putting the Lord under investigation. Rhys disagreed with Tsuba. But he had listened to her orders. And he would do the same now.

Mab shifted a laugh, finally picking up the water to douse the flames. As she waited for the stones to cool she looked at Carlisle.

"You going to be ok?"
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Silence frowned. She wasn't going to communicate with them telepathically. Instead she was going to have to revert to sign langauge. Still she was willing to do it.

She walked slowly over to them, her face twisted into fear and hope.

Carlisle

"Yes...I will be fine." Carlisle reassured as he positioned himself against the tree, this time being a bit more careful with how he moved himself. His head was wet and cold now, but surprisingly, Carlisle didn't mind that much as he simply smiled softly. "So....is it finished?" Carlisle inquired as he looked at Mab.
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Savina

Savina took a step forward, walking away from her team and towards the Girl. There was something very sad about what was going on. Finding a Survivor in the midst of all this. The Girl looked like she could have been a Spirit, the way she walked through the ruins. There was something inhuman about her, Savina thought.

But the Sergeant didn't think this Girl was a threat. She looked sad, maybe even a little scared. Not proud, or sneaky, or anything like that. "Are you ok?" Savina asked as she got closer to the Girl.

((.....Uh, I guess both of you forgot the fact that Maul's group stumbled upon five people nailed to crosses, each horribly disfigured and very bloody. Sorry, but it kinda bugged me that that was ignored, even if by accident. It'll play an important part shortly.))

C.C.

"Well, I guess we can leave now." C.C. commented to Nell and Katie as everyone finished packing up camp.

"Don't worry. It was a soft tap. A Qunari would have barely felt it," Sten replied, unrepentant. He continued, "He seems quite weak. How does he survive?"

(oops. Edited a previous post. Oh and Toko, I sent you a PM.)

Senka/Katie

Senka nodded in reply before turning around and walking back to the weapons wagon. She alerted the other Soldiers while walking past them.

"Great." Katie stated in reply as she climbed onto the horse.

C.C.

"Oh, Katie? Just to let you know, I'm going to get back at what you did that first night. I haven't completely satisfied my need for revenge yet. I'll strike when you least expected it..." C.C. whispered conspiratorily to her as she got onto her own horse.

Maul

"Something's wrong here...aside from the obvious." Maul muttered, briefly taking in the 'survivor'. He noticed from a side-glance that one of his men began to approached one of the figures nailed on the farthest cross. The soldier studied the face of the dead man closely for some reason, as if something was off about the corpse.

"Sir? I think--"

The dead man's eyes opened.

Before the soldier knew what hit him, the corpse pounced on him and stabbed the man in his heart. The soldier crumbled to the ground while his murderer attacked again. It grabbed Sunny by the throat before she could even blink, and held a knife to her face, specifically near her mouth.

Maul whirled around and already had his blade out, but the creature already had its hostage. Maul looked into the creature's unblinking eyes and recognized its stare.

"Caesar," the Kaleesh growled out. The man in question smiled back at him, still holding his dagger near Sunny's face.

"Maul! You remember me. How kind. What's it been? ....Two years now? I must say, it's good to see you." he spoke.

Katie

Katie's mouth dropped open as she looked at C.C., not knowing whether or not she should laugh or be terrified. So Katie did both, chuckling as she settled herself down on the horse. "I'm sure you do." She replied, a smirk on her face as she looked down at C.C. from on top the horse.
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Rhys

The throne room was very dramatic. It always had been. Rhys had originally thought that Tsuba would have gotten rid of the pomp and decor, not added too it, but he was proven wrong within a few months after she had been crowned. Of course everyone knew that the now deceased Grand Duchess had had a hand with the decorations.

Though Rhys supposed it didn't matter as he finally bowed in front of Tsuba. "Empress." He greeted, papers in hand as he looked down at the ground.

Empress Tsuba

"Yes, Captain Rhys?" Empress Tsuba asked, gazing down upon him. "What is it?

C.C.

"By the way...I'd keep my eyes open tonight, if I were you." C.C. casually suggested, giving a mysterious smirk. "Oh, the things I have planned..."

Rhys

Rhys looked back up at Tsuba, straightening himself out before he handed the papers to Tsuba. He walked backwards down the steps before replying. "Just information on the five teams sent out after the Heirs. None of them have been found yet." Rhys informed Tsuba, getting to the point as quickly as possible. "But we do have reason to believe that the boy that challenged you a few days ago is alive and making an effort to join the Rebellion. Senka has reported that she saw the boy a few weeks back, and that he was flying some giant hawk-like creature. C.C. and Maul's teams have so far had no problems with their traveling, but it does look like we're going to have a strong winter this year. Which may of course hinder their mission." Rhys stated, knowing that he was essentially reciting what was in the paper.

The Captain stood straight and tall for a few more seconds as he allowed the information to sink in. There was a distant look on his face as he contemplated whether or not he should state what he was thinking. After all, he had no actual proof... but wouldn't it be wise to bring the issue up with Tsuba so that people could be more prepared? Rhys thought so. And that was why he suddenly said, "Empress Tsuba, I believe that Heir Caesar is alive and killing the citizens of the Empire at random. I just thought that it would be wise to tell you."
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Katie

"...Hm? Maybe I'll just sleep alone with Nell." Katie replied before pausing. Her eyebrows wrinkled up as she realized that didn't sound right, though Katie wasn't sure whether or not C.C. had noticed or not. Though a quick glance at the Mage informed her that C.C. was ready and waiting to tease her. "...Or maybe I'll stay with Senka." She added quickly before pausing again. That would be even scarier then anything that C.C. would do with her.

"...Maybe I just wont sleep."

C.C.

"Oh come now, don't let me frighten you. I promise I won't do a thing to harm or embarrass you tonight." C.C. said while crossing her fingers behind her back. After a moment of internal debate, C.C. decided to send Katie a mental image. Specifically, one of Nell and her alone, doing a certain activity.

"Ah, now I feel better." C.C. gave a content sigh and waited to see Katie's reaction to that image.

Tsuba

"Hm? Ah yes, Caesar. My intelligence agents confirmed his reappearance months ago, Rhys. Is that all?"

Rhys

Rhys nodded his head in reply at Tsuba's reply. He supposed that it shouldn't be a surprise that Tsuba would know about Caesar before he did. But the fact she hadn't done anything about it was...disconcerting. What was she doing, waiting for the Humage to massacre an entire city? But Rhys showed no signs of being discontent. "Besides the fact that Lord Stienburg is plotting something yet once again, no. I have nothing else to report, Empress."
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Katie

Katie's eyes grew wide, her cheeks turned red, and the Girl gripped onto the reins of her horse tightly. "....."

C.C.

"Oh? My goodness Katie, is something wrong? You've turned bright red again." C.C. said with mock concern. "Are you sick?"

Tsuba

"Of course, it's to be expected. If there is nothing else, than you may go."