Leaves146Please respect copyright.PENANAiGKBck2wVi
fell from trees and branches danced lightly as a light figure raced through the146Please respect copyright.PENANAofOfoUzMPg
trees of the Wyrmwood, it was swift and sure, anyone looking up into the trees146Please respect copyright.PENANATpfifTpvtm
would have seen nothing but a blur, maybe even the hood that concealed its146Please respect copyright.PENANAmw6N1Kf7jg
head. Not that anyone else was foolish enough to venture this deep within the146Please respect copyright.PENANAVhdOXyWFnw
woods. This person however, had a reason and as it pranced from limb to limb146Please respect copyright.PENANA8p9qkxiyVf
its hood came loose, revealing the soft facial features of a woman in her early146Please respect copyright.PENANAGctWUyJeWb
twenties, her long white blond hair flowed along behind her giving away her146Please respect copyright.PENANAyybpfhuG3e
soft pointed ears. She smiled as she saw a small clearing ahead, knowing she146Please respect copyright.PENANAgTXuSizjkj
had finally reached her goal. She landed with a soft mildly perceptible thud on146Please respect copyright.PENANAVPmSiuiseC
a tree branch just at the edge of the glade she looked around the clearing but146Please respect copyright.PENANACDxSr5NAKW
saw nothing. The elf girl stared in disbelief at the glade for a moment before146Please respect copyright.PENANAU8Z42zGJEo
silently cursing under her breath, she quietly reached into a small pouch at146Please respect copyright.PENANA4HiMu0oJXJ
her waist and took out a small glass vial containing a swirling silver liquid,146Please respect copyright.PENANACSp0AmrrsN
then with one fluid motion she removed the stopper and downed the liquid.146Please respect copyright.PENANAWZC0KYyL0y
Suddenly her natural blue eyes changed to a swirling rainbow of colors, and she146Please respect copyright.PENANAsrVC6UAjfv
finally saw what she wanted. The clearing was filled with a variety of woodland146Please respect copyright.PENANARdMDlS8R45
creatures munching on the grass that grew there, yet although the sight was146Please respect copyright.PENANA8QtC1pwsN9
stunning in its own right, her attention was grabbed by a single white deer146Please respect copyright.PENANA8lQMIFfOnx
that stood in the center of the glade, its eyes trained on her “I’ve got you146Please respect copyright.PENANAxu7pgafcgE
now” she smiled as she removed an intricately carved bow made of bones from her146Please respect copyright.PENANAesuDniojBE
pouch and pulled the drawstring, as she did so an ethereal arrow formed in her146Please respect copyright.PENANAyI4zuEtiyI
hand. The elf trained the arrow on the deer it146Please respect copyright.PENANAKu2HPsMut3
definitely sees me, so why doesn’t it run? She thought to herself doesn’t matter I suppose, once I claim this146Please respect copyright.PENANAYmgT5EMgIn
kill the others will have to start respecting me she took a deep breath and146Please respect copyright.PENANAa0XOImNCfG
steadied her aim “Princess Andraste, you do know that those of the royal146Please respect copyright.PENANAORPWIsDasm
bloodline are allowed in the Wyrmwood right?” a harsh voice sounded beside her,146Please respect copyright.PENANAV3CucUjpqQ
she screamed as the voice startled her causing the elf to jump and fire the146Please respect copyright.PENANAqnrjyatKJi
arrow into a nearby tree. Andraste fell from her perch and landed with a splash146Please respect copyright.PENANAq6YUZGAgOu
as she fell into a patch of mud “such a fitting place for you, your highness”146Please respect copyright.PENANACbgdJrDDeT
the voice sounded behind her this time and Andraste jumped to her feet to face146Please respect copyright.PENANAtGgK65nQb2
it “you really should learn not to sneak up on people, master Brinn” she smiled146Please respect copyright.PENANAN3FcgFzcMn
at the hooded figure before her
“And146Please respect copyright.PENANACGoe5KySL5
you should learn to keep your cool under stressful situations, my pupil” Brinn replied,146Please respect copyright.PENANAhnyePKQ0Bn
a cheerful note to his voice this time “and the last time I checked, sneaking146Please respect copyright.PENANAELkb4I0asR
up on people was my job”
Andraste146Please respect copyright.PENANAwoh0JkuH6C
smiled at the man, he could be cold and cruel at times but she knew he was a146Please respect copyright.PENANAaJNwLMYK5e
good person deep down in the darkest crevasses of his soul. “Why are you here146Please respect copyright.PENANAzOxYNjc2Ej
then?”
“His146Please respect copyright.PENANATNESVyR9Tc
majesty is holding a special meeting, he expects all the nobles and councilors146Please respect copyright.PENANADSxd0HqEfU
to attend” he replied, disgust painting his voice
“Why?”
“I do146Please respect copyright.PENANA9mur3XWdbv
not know, and that troubles me” he looked away from her and sighed “I do not146Please respect copyright.PENANAKVDjAvyhBf
like not knowing things”
“Well146Please respect copyright.PENANASJoyUY51mt
then, we’d best get a move on shouldn’t we?” she stepped forward and removed146Please respect copyright.PENANA3SL9c4J8s1
her dirty hooded cloak revealing the tight fitting brown leather pants that146Please respect copyright.PENANAePy5Ktmoxs
wrapped her legs as well as a matching corset which hugged her chest leaving her146Please respect copyright.PENANAcdflYwfRBo
belly bare. She stretched her curved lithe body and motioned to her master146Please respect copyright.PENANACIT24thGce
“Race you to the edge of the woods?”
“All146Please respect copyright.PENANApeV1763DE3
these years and you still fail to understand the difference between racing146Please respect copyright.PENANANnp8MO1nFt
someone and following them” he laughed as he vanished in a blur
“Hey,146Please respect copyright.PENANAF0Bhr0uCZ0
no fair!” she shouted as she took off behind him.
Princess Andraste shifted146Please respect copyright.PENANALKukKICv6A
nervously from foot to foot, she stood in a large throne room, the high walls146Please respect copyright.PENANAaewMQZjbZv
were adorned by portraits of the past rulers of the kingdom. The room was146Please respect copyright.PENANAQJfcwtlNM4
currently filled with all the noblemen and women of the land who were all busy146Please respect copyright.PENANAUB4kXNrayE
chatting amongst themselves, seemingly forgetting they were in the presence of146Please respect copyright.PENANAEJ9Jyprgbc
their princess. They were anxious to know what this was about, and so did she.146Please respect copyright.PENANAaRc2P9ryjM
She glanced at the empty throne behind her and sighed, she spun on her heels146Please respect copyright.PENANAjFVLtp1eaW
and exited the room through the door behind the large imposing throne. She146Please respect copyright.PENANA0yqrYLKaFe
Stumbled as she almost collided into Brinn “Not like him to be late…” he said146Please respect copyright.PENANAuIf1NWlahj
as Andraste stormed past him, she paid him no attention as she continued down146Please respect copyright.PENANAU3kJBEWZ1e
the narrow corridor. She passed by tens of doors along the146Please respect copyright.PENANA0ahPPoSiKf
sides, until she came upon a door at the end of the tunnel, she gently eased it146Please respect copyright.PENANAez94oJXtvx
open and entered into a small study from behind a large bookcase. Andraste146Please respect copyright.PENANAe2bZW11Igj
looked around the room, there were books strewn across the floor then her eyes146Please respect copyright.PENANAVqdzSVqevP
rested on the only chair occupying the room, on it sat a large man wearing146Please respect copyright.PENANAkrEcfl0h3B
exquisite golden robes, he held a golden jeweled crown in one hand and a piece146Please respect copyright.PENANAMT9uab4Lrz
of paper in the other, he looked at her and despite the haggard expression the146Please respect copyright.PENANAI2QdfEvrxf
man wore on his face he somehow still managed to look intimidating. “Hey there146Please respect copyright.PENANALgfxyiSLLr
little sis” he smiled weakly
“What146Please respect copyright.PENANAvLYP3mNlTL
is the meaning of all this?” Andraste gestured at the room her voice was146Please respect copyright.PENANAQTJWiAgJRz
tainted with worry, in all her years she’d known her brother she had never seen146Please respect copyright.PENANAIUD8XJb9iX
him so weak, and vulnerable. The man waved the paper at her and she walked146Please respect copyright.PENANAsyKC8ycGSw
slowly over to him and took it and read silently. “Oh no!” Andraste gasped as146Please respect copyright.PENANAT781zu7YJG
she fell to her knees and clutched the letter. She closed her eyes as they146Please respect copyright.PENANAiDOdIHMlOZ
started to stream tears.
“He146Please respect copyright.PENANAwTFMwHN0Tg
killed her” she heard her brother say, his voice was strangely deadpanned “that146Please respect copyright.PENANAvOyA0mJFk7
monster murdered her, he and I had a deal”
Andraste146Please respect copyright.PENANATcpSAFBbJZ
stared up at him as he spoke, her face written in confusion “what of the knight you sent to secure her safety, what happened to146Please respect copyright.PENANATBisTP7jhw
Lucien?"
The king146Please respect copyright.PENANAqVCPScazFX
sighed heavily as he lowered his head into his palms "No word. The last146Please respect copyright.PENANAKzTPeMoP8g
letter he sent said he was on the outskirts of Avrym's domain......that was146Please respect copyright.PENANAQIkelyKeNX
five days ago"
"We146Please respect copyright.PENANABKHn4aMlUI
need to ready or armies." Andraste's voice cracked as she spoke "This146Please respect copyright.PENANAzXY82cS967
bastard has toyed with us enough."
“No, it146Please respect copyright.PENANALiG7KHOwpj
doesn’t matter anymore” he replied coldly as he stood and placed his crown in146Please respect copyright.PENANAY83bci5gsa
place, brushing away some of his hair revealing his small rounded ears. As146Please respect copyright.PENANAqJl94CtF3l
Andraste looked at him she thought she saw a look of fear, but she quickly146Please respect copyright.PENANAcCbU34OOzt
banished the stupid thought
“What?” she146Please respect copyright.PENANAfdueMCJQRF
choked "YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH MURDERING YOUR146Please respect copyright.PENANAPcsZIHbR02
DAUGHTER?" The king completely ignored her words as he walked towards146Please respect copyright.PENANAGrNZOAtLH5
the exit. She couldn't see it, but his face was riddled with worry. Andraste146Please respect copyright.PENANAt7tG2KCyTq
took one last look at the letter in her grasp before crumbling it and following146Please respect copyright.PENANALY0U8WZpIz
after her brother, swearing to herself that they were going to have a proper146Please respect copyright.PENANAkchwi6l0sF
talk whether he wanted to or not.
The king sat upon his throne and146Please respect copyright.PENANAkCs0ptTB4v
glared at the nobles gathered in the room, he felt a hand grip his shoulder and146Please respect copyright.PENANAZeqDufYSHx
he looked up to see his sister smiling at him, her tears were gone and she had146Please respect copyright.PENANAxIICuz61Cp
an air of confidence about her. Though the two weren’t siblings by blood, they146Please respect copyright.PENANAcXy9PFX2dr
had always had each other’s backs, for nearly thirty years they have been146Please respect copyright.PENANA32Nn0MFz3h
inseparable, and now he felt that was about to change. He smiled back at her as146Please respect copyright.PENANAdSnPrwdLoS
she made to walk away to join the nobles, but he grabbed her hand “stay” he146Please respect copyright.PENANAVctlvci1HH
whispered. Andraste nodded without looking at him and brushed off his hand,146Please respect copyright.PENANAdh9fGXeHib
that was when he realized he was right, she would not be with him this time, if146Please respect copyright.PENANAzGdS27HtOc
his nobles didn’t kill him now………his sister would. The king gulped as he146Please respect copyright.PENANAu0VCsxQJaq
cleared his throat to address his people, he severely doubted he could best the146Please respect copyright.PENANArvAktewlzM
nimble Elf in a fight. “First of all, I thank you all for answering my call” he146Please respect copyright.PENANAHK8BR512Gx
began, watching as they stiffened and stared dumbly at him. He had taken146Please respect copyright.PENANAupl22yXSUn
advantage of all these people, and he knew he would pay the price today.
“I know it146Please respect copyright.PENANAPm76oVAWzn
was a bit short notice, but the matter was too urgent -"
"What146Please respect copyright.PENANATGtBLJRDXo
the hell is the meaning of this, Roland?" A voiced cried out from the146Please respect copyright.PENANAh73c9emixR
semicircle of nobles, cutting him off "I had important matters to attend146Please respect copyright.PENANAqC5HwGt0rE
to and not only do you call me here at such a time, you also have THE FUCKING146Please respect copyright.PENANAzahXwxoM73
NERVE -"
There was a146Please respect copyright.PENANAoSTpo8RJjD
flash of silver as something raced through the air cutting off the voice. It146Please respect copyright.PENANAPRqrOi7lmA
was then followed by shrill scream. The nobles looked at the old man who was146Please respect copyright.PENANA46OGBv518G
now clutching his face. He opened his mouth to speak but was instantly cut off146Please respect copyright.PENANAs9kiZWNr8B
by Andraste.
"The146Please respect copyright.PENANA1FXoVE8otl
next person to interrupt this meeting will leave this room missing a146Please respect copyright.PENANADq562HtB4r
tongue." The gulped as he heard her words. He rose his hand and spoke once146Please respect copyright.PENANAERiYkLrkRk
more "As I was saying, I'm terribly sorry for calling you all here at such146Please respect copyright.PENANADg62btIvJM
an hour, but I'm afraid I had no choice. As I'm sure you're aware, there have146Please respect copyright.PENANAwMDT6NpEmV
been rumours circulating the kingdom for the last six months, stories about how146Please respect copyright.PENANAvaCIcvrGcW
you nobles have been sending the kingdom assassins to villages on the edges of Lanatheas146Please respect copyright.PENANANEleEYdLym
to kidnap young girls from their homes."
"Permission146Please respect copyright.PENANAE0y81uPUYE
to speak, sire?" A young man spoke up from the group
"Granted"
"Those146Please respect copyright.PENANARGqLqKMxbU
rumours have been nothing other than, well......rumours." he paused before146Please respect copyright.PENANAVBRXD7i6jx
continuing "you had us all investigated by your Spymaster, Lord Brinn that146Please respect copyright.PENANAeklPcPGr57
is, and as I'm aware....those investigations yielded no results146Please respect copyright.PENANA3RGYDQJKQY
whatsoever"
"I'm146Please respect copyright.PENANAcsgRjOeGBw
afraid that's simply because Brinn was ordered to not carry out an actual146Please respect copyright.PENANApBcZAPXdhd
investigation....."
"Pardon?"146Please respect copyright.PENANAiL0Ba0e8pB
His confusion was echoed by everyone else in the room, including Andraste.146Please respect copyright.PENANA9MNzVP7NFI
"What do you mean by that brother?" She asked as she looked down on146Please respect copyright.PENANA1SYGWG3Lsu
him. The king looked at her and shook his head, her eyes were cold and he felt146Please respect copyright.PENANAvOuSRNdUgb
like she was going to cut open his throat after his next words "I'm146Please respect copyright.PENANA3lY1rGFXMy
ashamed to admit the rumours are indeed true" he paused and then continued146Please respect copyright.PENANAgNhYhdsfGq
before anybody had the chance to react "In fact.....those assassins were146Please respect copyright.PENANArxgKFV8DOd
sent out by me, and were led by none other than Brinn" before he had even146Please respect copyright.PENANAdgFvs0Wgs2
finished talking, the nobles were shouting and demanding answers. They wanted146Please respect copyright.PENANAjLtWfpegtt
to know what he had done, as well as why. In the uproar they had all forgotten146Please respect copyright.PENANAcuqQr3JaA6
Andraste's threat, all but one man who was trying to leave his seat before she146Please respect copyright.PENANAuQ0hwfdBXX
noticed him. The nobles, realising that he had no intention of answering them146Please respect copyright.PENANAwuDRKS2LME
then started to rush towards him on the throne, but before the got close146Please respect copyright.PENANAyVkmP9Qxxv
Brinn's cloaked form fell Infront of them from the ceiling. He stretched out146Please respect copyright.PENANAcVJePmkmM7
his hands, showing the throwing knives between his fingers "Who dies146Please respect copyright.PENANAFVc1JN3klF
first?" He asked sneering. The nobles gasped as they backed away slowly,146Please respect copyright.PENANAYz5n1QCt5Q
Brinn glanced behind him and saw Roland running through the back doors. Brinn146Please respect copyright.PENANAtPO9TN4SIB
knew the king wasn't afraid of the weaklings before him, so he figured he must146Please respect copyright.PENANAHUr8JZyKly
have been running from his sister. Brinn might have been the one to teach her146Please respect copyright.PENANAuebM0JM60T
everything she knew, but even he wouldn't be able to inflict injury on her146Please respect copyright.PENANATi467wpeKb
before his head rolled. Without looking at her he sheathed his knives and went146Please respect copyright.PENANAkg7Dne0E6G
after the king.
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All of this146Please respect copyright.PENANAFEJ6q9zXbA
had happened before the princess had even finished processing the information146Please respect copyright.PENANARgHBn7DRaC
she was just given. She didn't notice any of the events that had just146Please respect copyright.PENANAEi1MKFxosO
transpired.