Status: Complete
Shadow of the Fire
The Serpent's Plot
Octobras 27, 210t
The news of the House Thalin’s murder spread quickly. The whole of Polymia was in shock, but not all were grieving for the loss of their king, their queen, and their two princes. Crownlake City was still in a high state of security and investigation, although they already had a huge lead on the suspects.
Meanwhile, in Silverland, Orlav Goldhand stood in front of the city watch’s bulletin board, looking at bounty posters. Just when his hand was about to take one down, he heard a tiny voice shouting about behind him. Orlav turned and saw a short courier running and pushing his way through the crowded streets. Knowing that the messenger surely had some very important information about Crownlake, Orlav ran after him. When he caught up with the courier, he tackled him and they both fell to the ground. “What news of Crownlake?” he asked.
“Sir Goldhand, please! Get off me!” the messenger shouted as he squirmed his way out from under the big man’s body. “I need to deliver this message to the court immediately,” he said as he stood up.
Orlav stood back up and restrained the short man. “Tell me now,” he commanded.
“I do not know a thing! I am not allowed to read my messages!”
The big muscular man dropped his grip of the courier. “I’m going with you, then.”
The two made their way quickly through the streets of Silverland to the castle. They barged in the main hall, greeting Lord Vincent Lucian, who was idly sitting on his throne. “My lord, news from Crownlake!” the courier announced as he handed over an envelope sealed by the Imperial Kingdom’s seal.
“Call all the advisors and tell them to gather at the conference hall,” Vincent ordered to his servant, who immediately ran to carry his orders. He dismissed the courier, and then turned to Orlav, who was standing in front of him, trying to contain his excitement. “And you, Goldhand, what are you doing here?”
“My lord, I came for the conference.”
Vincent laughed. “And what would you do at the conference, Goldhand? Please, leave.”
“No, my lord, I have a proposal to make. I have been thinking about it since this morning.”
“Nobody wants to hear your stupid proposal, bounty hunter. Leave my castle at once!”
Orlav crossed his arms. “No, my lord. I am very sure that you would love my say, so please, hear me out.”
Vincent smiled, admiring the man’s determination, and also because Lord Lucian loved seeing arrogance in people. “Okay, then,” he said as he stood up from his throne. “Follow me, Goldhand. We are going to the conference hall.”
The conference hall was a long room with a long marble table at the center. The eight advisors were already present, and only the two seats at the opposite heads of the table were still empty. Vincent took his seat and instructed Orlav to take the last. The young lord introduced Orlav as a mere guest, and explained his presence to his advisors before they began. Vincent sat back and crossed his legs, as he watched Christopher open the officially-sealed envelope on the table. Everybody anxiously listened to the lord’s Hand as he read aloud the letter.
“’This morning,’” Christopher read. “’The king and his wife were found murdered on their beds. Their throats were cut open, and the daggers used were left sitting on their faces. There were two daggers, and so we believe they were killed at the same time. Prince Felian and Prince Cicero were found in their own rooms on their own beds, having been given the same fate as their parents. We are suspecting the Devin Kingdom, for all the daggers left behind bore the Devin’s symbol.’”
The advisors went into an uproar, for they could not believe what they were hearing. “Lord Herod would never command it!” one defended. “The Devinians could’ve been framed!” another advisor added.
“Silence!” Vincent commanded, to which the whole hall fell as quiet as a mausoleum. “Christopher, please continue.”
Christopher cleared his throat and resumed to read. He read about the story of the Devinians’ proposal to the king and the king’s promise to them on the date of his announcement. “’We believe that King Thesius had no intention of granting Religion, and Lord Herod found out, which led him to ordering the assassination of the king, queen, and princes.’” The lord’s Hand put down the sheet of paper and continued to reading the next page. “’Princess Thalia was left unharmed, and we suspect that it is because the Devinians think they can scare her into passing on their law. She now bears the Polymian Ring, and is now Queen Thalia, sitting on the Polymian throne,’”
“Wait,” Orlav interrupted. “May I speak now, my lord?”
“No, Goldhand! Please, Christopher, continue.”
“Yes, my lord. ‘On the 2nd of Novembras, we will wage war against the city of Cloudtop with the help of the other major cities. We are calling on your armies to aid us as we avenge our dead king, queen, and princes, and to prevent any further attacks by the Devinians. Please assemble by the shores of Great Lake on the morning of Novembras the 1st. Please be informed that any contact with the people of Cloudtop is forbidden. The King’s Hand, Simeon Gauld.’”
Just as Orlav was about to speak up, the advisors broke out with another uproar after being asked by Vincent for their opinions. The bounty hunter gripped his straight golden hair, trying to contain his impatience, as he listened to the old men one-by-one agree on obeying the letter.
“Goldhand!” Vincent called, noticing that the bounty hunter had something else in mind. “What do you think of this?”
Orlav let go of his hair and sat straight, feeling eager to tell of his proposal. “I think that we should not obey this plan of theirs.” To this, the advisors responded angrily, although Vincent seemed to be quite pleased. He felt that Orlav got the idea right from the deepest part of his own mind. The lord silenced the room and allowed the man to continue speaking. “Would we really want to go against the Devinians? They have a man who was able to sneak in and out of the castle with the tightest security in the city with the tightest security. Not only that, but he killed four of the five most heavily-guarded people in the country.”
“You expect us to deny our king of the revenge he deserves all because you are afraid?” one advisor asked.
“What if this assassin kills our lord? Silverland will fall!” Orlav answered. “I care not for the kingdom of a dead king with a nineteen-year-old queen. I care for Silverland and my lord.”
“So you are telling us to remain here and do nothing, while a war goes on?!” Christopher asked with deep frustration.
“No, I suggest we attack the Imperial Kingdom.”
For a moment, the conference hall fell silent, until tumult broke out again. Amongst all the arguments, Vincent Lucian sat silently with a wide grin on his face.
“I say we kidnap the princess for a ransom. After they pay up, we take Crownlake City and Lord Vincent becomes king.”
The tension died down, and everyone turned to their lord, who stood up, clapping his hands with a very pleased expression. “Orlav Goldhand, I knew I was right to bring you here.” The lord’s Hand stood up, and then all the advisors joined them. Orlav also stood, knowing that it was a sign of respect to stand when another gets on their feet.
“I approve of this plan,” Vincent said. “Orlav, you shall come with the army on the 1st of Novembras, and you will personally take the princess.”
The conference ended when all the advisors agreed to the lord’s final say. Orlav left the castle to prepare himself, and as he walked, he noticed a young man walking away from the castle as well. The young man was wearing an unfamiliar red and black leather armor and carried a suspicious number of daggers on him, but he paid him no mind.
The news of the House Thalin’s murder spread quickly. The whole of Polymia was in shock, but not all were grieving for the loss of their king, their queen, and their two princes. Crownlake City was still in a high state of security and investigation, although they already had a huge lead on the suspects.
Meanwhile, in Silverland, Orlav Goldhand stood in front of the city watch’s bulletin board, looking at bounty posters. Just when his hand was about to take one down, he heard a tiny voice shouting about behind him. Orlav turned and saw a short courier running and pushing his way through the crowded streets. Knowing that the messenger surely had some very important information about Crownlake, Orlav ran after him. When he caught up with the courier, he tackled him and they both fell to the ground. “What news of Crownlake?” he asked.
“Sir Goldhand, please! Get off me!” the messenger shouted as he squirmed his way out from under the big man’s body. “I need to deliver this message to the court immediately,” he said as he stood up.
Orlav stood back up and restrained the short man. “Tell me now,” he commanded.
“I do not know a thing! I am not allowed to read my messages!”
The big muscular man dropped his grip of the courier. “I’m going with you, then.”
The two made their way quickly through the streets of Silverland to the castle. They barged in the main hall, greeting Lord Vincent Lucian, who was idly sitting on his throne. “My lord, news from Crownlake!” the courier announced as he handed over an envelope sealed by the Imperial Kingdom’s seal.
“Call all the advisors and tell them to gather at the conference hall,” Vincent ordered to his servant, who immediately ran to carry his orders. He dismissed the courier, and then turned to Orlav, who was standing in front of him, trying to contain his excitement. “And you, Goldhand, what are you doing here?”
“My lord, I came for the conference.”
Vincent laughed. “And what would you do at the conference, Goldhand? Please, leave.”
“No, my lord, I have a proposal to make. I have been thinking about it since this morning.”
“Nobody wants to hear your stupid proposal, bounty hunter. Leave my castle at once!”
Orlav crossed his arms. “No, my lord. I am very sure that you would love my say, so please, hear me out.”
Vincent smiled, admiring the man’s determination, and also because Lord Lucian loved seeing arrogance in people. “Okay, then,” he said as he stood up from his throne. “Follow me, Goldhand. We are going to the conference hall.”
The conference hall was a long room with a long marble table at the center. The eight advisors were already present, and only the two seats at the opposite heads of the table were still empty. Vincent took his seat and instructed Orlav to take the last. The young lord introduced Orlav as a mere guest, and explained his presence to his advisors before they began. Vincent sat back and crossed his legs, as he watched Christopher open the officially-sealed envelope on the table. Everybody anxiously listened to the lord’s Hand as he read aloud the letter.
“’This morning,’” Christopher read. “’The king and his wife were found murdered on their beds. Their throats were cut open, and the daggers used were left sitting on their faces. There were two daggers, and so we believe they were killed at the same time. Prince Felian and Prince Cicero were found in their own rooms on their own beds, having been given the same fate as their parents. We are suspecting the Devin Kingdom, for all the daggers left behind bore the Devin’s symbol.’”
The advisors went into an uproar, for they could not believe what they were hearing. “Lord Herod would never command it!” one defended. “The Devinians could’ve been framed!” another advisor added.
“Silence!” Vincent commanded, to which the whole hall fell as quiet as a mausoleum. “Christopher, please continue.”
Christopher cleared his throat and resumed to read. He read about the story of the Devinians’ proposal to the king and the king’s promise to them on the date of his announcement. “’We believe that King Thesius had no intention of granting Religion, and Lord Herod found out, which led him to ordering the assassination of the king, queen, and princes.’” The lord’s Hand put down the sheet of paper and continued to reading the next page. “’Princess Thalia was left unharmed, and we suspect that it is because the Devinians think they can scare her into passing on their law. She now bears the Polymian Ring, and is now Queen Thalia, sitting on the Polymian throne,’”
“Wait,” Orlav interrupted. “May I speak now, my lord?”
“No, Goldhand! Please, Christopher, continue.”
“Yes, my lord. ‘On the 2nd of Novembras, we will wage war against the city of Cloudtop with the help of the other major cities. We are calling on your armies to aid us as we avenge our dead king, queen, and princes, and to prevent any further attacks by the Devinians. Please assemble by the shores of Great Lake on the morning of Novembras the 1st. Please be informed that any contact with the people of Cloudtop is forbidden. The King’s Hand, Simeon Gauld.’”
Just as Orlav was about to speak up, the advisors broke out with another uproar after being asked by Vincent for their opinions. The bounty hunter gripped his straight golden hair, trying to contain his impatience, as he listened to the old men one-by-one agree on obeying the letter.
“Goldhand!” Vincent called, noticing that the bounty hunter had something else in mind. “What do you think of this?”
Orlav let go of his hair and sat straight, feeling eager to tell of his proposal. “I think that we should not obey this plan of theirs.” To this, the advisors responded angrily, although Vincent seemed to be quite pleased. He felt that Orlav got the idea right from the deepest part of his own mind. The lord silenced the room and allowed the man to continue speaking. “Would we really want to go against the Devinians? They have a man who was able to sneak in and out of the castle with the tightest security in the city with the tightest security. Not only that, but he killed four of the five most heavily-guarded people in the country.”
“You expect us to deny our king of the revenge he deserves all because you are afraid?” one advisor asked.
“What if this assassin kills our lord? Silverland will fall!” Orlav answered. “I care not for the kingdom of a dead king with a nineteen-year-old queen. I care for Silverland and my lord.”
“So you are telling us to remain here and do nothing, while a war goes on?!” Christopher asked with deep frustration.
“No, I suggest we attack the Imperial Kingdom.”
For a moment, the conference hall fell silent, until tumult broke out again. Amongst all the arguments, Vincent Lucian sat silently with a wide grin on his face.
“I say we kidnap the princess for a ransom. After they pay up, we take Crownlake City and Lord Vincent becomes king.”
The tension died down, and everyone turned to their lord, who stood up, clapping his hands with a very pleased expression. “Orlav Goldhand, I knew I was right to bring you here.” The lord’s Hand stood up, and then all the advisors joined them. Orlav also stood, knowing that it was a sign of respect to stand when another gets on their feet.
“I approve of this plan,” Vincent said. “Orlav, you shall come with the army on the 1st of Novembras, and you will personally take the princess.”
The conference ended when all the advisors agreed to the lord’s final say. Orlav left the castle to prepare himself, and as he walked, he noticed a young man walking away from the castle as well. The young man was wearing an unfamiliar red and black leather armor and carried a suspicious number of daggers on him, but he paid him no mind.