The Queen of Darkness

[Tandaros]

The Hollow Palace

A clap of thunder struck out from the skies over Agyr, and a freezing rain burst forth and beat down on the canopies; Queen Maya stood outside the Golden Palace, overseeing the loading of an endless pile of chests into the caravan. State effects, seals, documents, ancient artifacts, dresses, jewelry, weapons; chests of all shapes and sizes were heaved onto carts by retainers, teeth chattering in the unbearable weather. The rain ran off the canopy over Maya's head and splashed down at her boots. She was in her leather sparring gear, but the midwives had banned her from any terse exercise by now. It was by now obvious that the lithe girl was with child. A mother's instinct burned in her eyes; her left hand rested on the hilt of her blade, eyes scanning the horizon for surprises.

The city was quiet; the fires from Imperatrix Kalixta's scourging a grim reminder of the things to come. In the courtyard outside the Palace, Maya saw an old woman on her hands and knees, weeping and bemoaning the Melite exodus. Two young men, probably her sons, watched helplessly; after a bit they helped her to her feet and out of the rain. Vertigo overcame her and she walked back inside.

The Palace was empty. Banners of Melhed still hung for now, and servants flitted about with the final preparations for the move, but the whole place felt dead to her. Yeux was gone. The good feelings of the earlier age were gone. Now there was loss and discontentment.

Maya retreated to her parlor, where all that remained was a divan and a small table with a bowl of fruit. She collapsed on the divan and waved off the attendants. She prayed a simple nap would set the whole world back on track, and so she dozed off, in the silent, emptying palace.


A Rude Awakening

Maya woke from her nap abruptly, her steward shuffling in, flanked by a wall of wide-eyed guards.

"A rebellion, Your Majesty! Lord Claudius has roused the city calling, for the end of the Serpentis dynasty!" he cried out. The Queen stared at him in shock for a moment, then got to her feet and rushed off to the palace gates, accompanied by the steward, guards, and handmaidens begging her to slow down for the baby's sake. She said nothing.

She stepped out under the canopy and heard a symphony of disorder in the distance, harmonizing ominously with the beating freezing rain. Her nostrils flared and she licked her lips like a bloodthirsty wolf ready to feast. Maya pointed at the caravan of wagons with state effects; "Form a barricade. Have archers line the palace steps and shoot down any rebel that approaches the palace. Guards, slay anyone that breaks through. I don't want prisoners."

She turned around and walked back into the Palace, heading for the Throne Room, hand firmly on sword-hilt. Entering the chamber like a hurricane, flanked by the bustling guards and panicked handmaidens, she drew her sword and sat on the throne, resting the razor-sharp tip on the floor. "Steward, take a letter. We'll muster the loyalists here."

[Shizzle]

Great read! Thanks for sharing

[Tandaros]

The Battle of Agyr

'Foolish midwives don't know how to tame a wolf,' thought Maya as she tightened the straps of her armor. Snug in the belly, sure, but it worked. The midwives and handmaidens gave up on verbal protests and resigned themselves to sitting quietly and looking extremely unhappy with the Queen's choice to take the field. Maya smirked at their misguided consternation.

Naked blade in hand, she marched through the Palace to the front steps, where Sir Josko and Imperatrix Kalixta had rallied their forces behind the barricades. The Queen looked around - no archers. 'Ah, oh well. More bladework then,' she thought. She descended the steps to greet her noble supporters, and the two turned to receive her, until a warcry erupted from the far side of the palace square. The rebel cavalry poured out, and charged without second thought towards the barricade; the flew the banners of House Augustus.

"Well then Melites, now is our time! Stand your ground and defend your Queen and Prince!" screamed Maya, holding her sword high in the air. The Melite soldiers responded with a guttural "Huah!" and braced the barricades.

The cavalry charge hit like thunder, smashing chests left and right, soldiers scrambling back to their feet; but the caravan-turned-barrier did a well enough job breaking the charge's momentum. A vicious melee broke out, stunned loyalists getting cut helplessly, dehorsed rebels getting butchered; Sir Josko took a hit and went down, to get whisked away to safety by a loyal sergeant. And seemingly as soon as the charge came, it broke, and the heaving defenders stood grimly on the palace steps now covered in blood.

"Where is that traitor Claudius?" the Queen asked Captain Eckhart, who was busy liberating a wounded rebel's organs. The captain looked about while cleaning his befouled blade, and mustered some militiamen to search the area. Queen Maya walked among the Melite soldiers, thanking them individually, while horrified servants emerged from the palace to clean up the carnage and put the state caravan back in order.

[Tandaros]

Agyr to Fronepu

The caravan wound its way along the Melite coastal regions - the peasants came out in Gor Ault, Trottie, Ieara, and Seven Rivers to pay homage to the silent exodus from Agyr. Some of the commoners who still clung to the way of the Bloodspeakers bowed down in the cold dirt, praising the passing Queen with strange mystical names; the Queen of Darkness, the Wrath of Iku-Turso. Maya peered out of the slats of the palanquin at the passing countryside, the supplicating commoners, the grey clouds. Her guards wouldn't let her talk to the people due to the risk of the ongoing rebellion.

Fronepu's high walls appeared on the horizon, and the exodus entered the city. The wagons, servants, and clerks wound their way through the city, mingling with the curious locals, the diverse and worldly people of Melhed's southern city, and new center of power. The Queens Guard did their best to keep the handmaidens from getting too distracted by the markets' fine clothiers, and ushered the caravan on to Duke Pavel's manor. The gates were opened and the wagons safely stowed away. A crowd began to form around the ducal manor, hoping to get a glimpse of the Queen; but she was whisked discretely out of the palanquin and safely into the ducal manor.

Entering the manor, Maya walked the manor corridors, leaning on a handmaiden's arm. "The journey was difficult," Maya explained, "the rocking of the palanquin seemed to disturb our young princeling."

Stewards began to crowd around the Queen with all kinds of reports and requests, but the chief among them broke the greatest of news: "The rebellion is broken, Your Majesty! Your loyal subjects have repulsed the rebels from Agyr."

The Queen smiled and held up her hand. "Excellent news. We shall forgive Lord Johnny if he vows his loyalty to the crown anew, until the end of time. But Lord Claudius shall never set foot on these lands again on pain of death. But the matter now is to find a suitable place to build a new palace for our realm. Go hire workers, find all the unemployed men in the city and get them the tools they need. Vicar Pavel and I shall find the location and agree upon the design tomorrow." Maya waved off the rest of the stewards and retreated to a private chamber to recuperate.

[Tandaros]

The New Face of Fronepu

Huge gangs of workers gathered in the city streets, crowding around the royal agents, signing contracts with their illegible peasant marks. For a few days they idled, some turning to drunken misconduct, but soon a royal order came from Seven Rivers; the site of the palace was agreed upon and the architects absconded to the abandoned Bloodspeaker temple, looming over the western harbor. They counted paces, made measurements, and drew up charts; the workers were shepherded on by hoarse-voiced foremen. Heavy carts, laden with stone, headed off for the site of the new palace.

The army of workers crowded around, watching the man who had emerged as the chief architect, a stonemason from Lloringel by the name of Maris. He and the other planners looked at the plan, the old temple, and back to the plan. They were unsure how to proceed. Dadu, an eight-foot tall giant with a massive hammer, stood mutely, looming over the architects, waiting to begin demolition.

"Shouldn't we say a few words before we knock down the temple of our Queen's faith?" asked a mousy worker. The architects looked at each other, the workers murmured; Maris gulped nervously, realizing the responsibility had fallen to him. He stepped forward.

"Ehm... blessed be the ancient path of blood. Melhed's blood is spilt, and with that change may emerge a people, tempered by defeat and matured with humility. In the glory of this sacrifice, we shall remember our old ways, in the founding of the new," said Maris, eyes shut, and waved his hand vaguely, mimicking a priest. The crowd looked down solemnly, deeply moved by the chief architect's words. A few minutes passed, and a few men in the crowd, obviously still clinging to their old faith, shed silent tears. Maris gave a nod to the giant Dadu, who without hesitation lifted his epic hammer and smashed out a cornerstone. The whole army of workers had at it, and began the reconstruction like an attacking army.