Leaves148Please respect copyright.PENANA9BtzOu2LLX
fell from trees and branches danced lightly as a light figure raced through the148Please respect copyright.PENANAlbIr5eQPWW
trees of the Wyrmwood, it was swift and sure, anyone looking up into the trees148Please respect copyright.PENANAmCaQDxTicF
would have seen nothing but a blur, maybe even the hood that concealed its148Please respect copyright.PENANAbcPjvp7cKY
head. Not that anyone else was foolish enough to venture this deep within the148Please respect copyright.PENANAZZ44dON6cH
woods. This person however, had a reason and as it pranced from limb to limb148Please respect copyright.PENANAhbfWsTcXqK
its hood came loose, revealing the soft facial features of a woman in her early148Please respect copyright.PENANAK39rRnStG6
twenties, her long white blond hair flowed along behind her giving away her148Please respect copyright.PENANACxV1iU8vM8
soft pointed ears. She smiled as she saw a small clearing ahead, knowing she148Please respect copyright.PENANAgL5c1lhpzC
had finally reached her goal. She landed with a soft mildly perceptible thud on148Please respect copyright.PENANAJtgMUEm1fE
a tree branch just at the edge of the glade she looked around the clearing but148Please respect copyright.PENANA2z6Aj3ksHB
saw nothing. The elf girl stared in disbelief at the glade for a moment before148Please respect copyright.PENANAgP1n2z1hZq
silently cursing under her breath, she quietly reached into a small pouch at148Please respect copyright.PENANAXGnX4heYf7
her waist and took out a small glass vial containing a swirling silver liquid,148Please respect copyright.PENANAVQWT6wgibt
then with one fluid motion she removed the stopper and downed the liquid.148Please respect copyright.PENANA0B0rYd8MoL
Suddenly her natural blue eyes changed to a swirling rainbow of colors, and she148Please respect copyright.PENANA3b4gP5KLWV
finally saw what she wanted. The clearing was filled with a variety of woodland148Please respect copyright.PENANAmw4zqcNDXC
creatures munching on the grass that grew there, yet although the sight was148Please respect copyright.PENANAODhotN4Rzl
stunning in its own right, her attention was grabbed by a single white deer148Please respect copyright.PENANATYj3k2LFhn
that stood in the center of the glade, its eyes trained on her “I’ve got you148Please respect copyright.PENANA7DUS62G3ru
now” she smiled as she removed an intricately carved bow made of bones from her148Please respect copyright.PENANAzxj1fGrP91
pouch and pulled the drawstring, as she did so an ethereal arrow formed in her148Please respect copyright.PENANAOnivPs4ATB
hand. The elf trained the arrow on the deer it148Please respect copyright.PENANA4gGfsKdnyv
definitely sees me, so why doesn’t it run? She thought to herself doesn’t matter I suppose, once I claim this148Please respect copyright.PENANACpgPtxcl2M
kill the others will have to start respecting me she took a deep breath and148Please respect copyright.PENANA166G8ImbW8
steadied her aim “Princess Andraste, you do know that those of the royal148Please respect copyright.PENANANCEgSABrmL
bloodline are allowed in the Wyrmwood right?” a harsh voice sounded beside her,148Please respect copyright.PENANAl8bX3uaNlf
she screamed as the voice startled her causing the elf to jump and fire the148Please respect copyright.PENANAeD9ts9Dqdc
arrow into a nearby tree. Andraste fell from her perch and landed with a splash148Please respect copyright.PENANAevi9NMdcMR
as she fell into a patch of mud “such a fitting place for you, your highness”148Please respect copyright.PENANABFTeyAhqco
the voice sounded behind her this time and Andraste jumped to her feet to face148Please respect copyright.PENANA38bUNnCHR0
it “you really should learn not to sneak up on people, master Brinn” she smiled148Please respect copyright.PENANA9sU5YcPnHy
at the hooded figure before her
“And148Please respect copyright.PENANA6cdF5jiEfw
you should learn to keep your cool under stressful situations, my pupil” Brinn replied,148Please respect copyright.PENANAmIUbGK3HUd
a cheerful note to his voice this time “and the last time I checked, sneaking148Please respect copyright.PENANASFA6i9OyZc
up on people was my job”
Andraste148Please respect copyright.PENANAJylpgYQizw
smiled at the man, he could be cold and cruel at times but she knew he was a148Please respect copyright.PENANAAnb8Xe36vV
good person deep down in the darkest crevasses of his soul. “Why are you here148Please respect copyright.PENANAkvbLVZQjc9
then?”
“His148Please respect copyright.PENANAJA9xey9YWm
majesty is holding a special meeting, he expects all the nobles and councilors148Please respect copyright.PENANANA5lvSGyTg
to attend” he replied, disgust painting his voice
“Why?”
“I do148Please respect copyright.PENANAi57PISl5TG
not know, and that troubles me” he looked away from her and sighed “I do not148Please respect copyright.PENANAQWOHw0smQQ
like not knowing things”
“Well148Please respect copyright.PENANAmflToOUbHZ
then, we’d best get a move on shouldn’t we?” she stepped forward and removed148Please respect copyright.PENANAWyHao1nZgV
her dirty hooded cloak revealing the tight fitting brown leather pants that148Please respect copyright.PENANA4niPn9DOK1
wrapped her legs as well as a matching corset which hugged her chest leaving her148Please respect copyright.PENANAmIIeZ3PMAo
belly bare. She stretched her curved lithe body and motioned to her master148Please respect copyright.PENANAzbk0kpDCpK
“Race you to the edge of the woods?”
“All148Please respect copyright.PENANAXbjjUPI8gs
these years and you still fail to understand the difference between racing148Please respect copyright.PENANACTXiGiAoLr
someone and following them” he laughed as he vanished in a blur
“Hey,148Please respect copyright.PENANAzxZ2WAWcpa
no fair!” she shouted as she took off behind him.
Princess Andraste shifted148Please respect copyright.PENANAWqmcqpEdI5
nervously from foot to foot, she stood in a large throne room, the high walls148Please respect copyright.PENANAXu3LANPIs6
were adorned by portraits of the past rulers of the kingdom. The room was148Please respect copyright.PENANAjtrt2s5QW3
currently filled with all the noblemen and women of the land who were all busy148Please respect copyright.PENANAytpLE53xOz
chatting amongst themselves, seemingly forgetting they were in the presence of148Please respect copyright.PENANArEwLjIyPNU
their princess. They were anxious to know what this was about, and so did she.148Please respect copyright.PENANAYHELiEvFyc
She glanced at the empty throne behind her and sighed, she spun on her heels148Please respect copyright.PENANA0m4MXJg2vy
and exited the room through the door behind the large imposing throne. She148Please respect copyright.PENANAmnw4KReqDS
Stumbled as she almost collided into Brinn “Not like him to be late…” he said148Please respect copyright.PENANAZaN8eGi0S6
as Andraste stormed past him, she paid him no attention as she continued down148Please respect copyright.PENANApfS2vsAaIE
the narrow corridor. She passed by tens of doors along the148Please respect copyright.PENANA8QvpuzRQyf
sides, until she came upon a door at the end of the tunnel, she gently eased it148Please respect copyright.PENANA4yses3y0Fz
open and entered into a small study from behind a large bookcase. Andraste148Please respect copyright.PENANAhQTR8QSgB2
looked around the room, there were books strewn across the floor then her eyes148Please respect copyright.PENANAhVOcO1GqJe
rested on the only chair occupying the room, on it sat a large man wearing148Please respect copyright.PENANAzrXVF3drgG
exquisite golden robes, he held a golden jeweled crown in one hand and a piece148Please respect copyright.PENANAPuSuMXos2N
of paper in the other, he looked at her and despite the haggard expression the148Please respect copyright.PENANAiGBQ1VMcqn
man wore on his face he somehow still managed to look intimidating. “Hey there148Please respect copyright.PENANAIp8fmImLfb
little sis” he smiled weakly
“What148Please respect copyright.PENANA1Th6Bo2KyC
is the meaning of all this?” Andraste gestured at the room her voice was148Please respect copyright.PENANAoSwIsNGJ48
tainted with worry, in all her years she’d known her brother she had never seen148Please respect copyright.PENANAKcdljsUptA
him so weak, and vulnerable. The man waved the paper at her and she walked148Please respect copyright.PENANAC3nzJj0yYQ
slowly over to him and took it and read silently. “Oh no!” Andraste gasped as148Please respect copyright.PENANAcETRz22oxV
she fell to her knees and clutched the letter. She closed her eyes as they148Please respect copyright.PENANACLUkGFoDtg
started to stream tears.
“He148Please respect copyright.PENANAyLfMv10Zo2
killed her” she heard her brother say, his voice was strangely deadpanned “that148Please respect copyright.PENANAAWkLgh0iGG
monster murdered her, he and I had a deal”
Andraste148Please respect copyright.PENANAfdUv5SztOT
stared up at him as he spoke, her face written in confusion “what of the knight you sent to secure her safety, what happened to148Please respect copyright.PENANAOKLIbJFKbK
Lucien?"
The king148Please respect copyright.PENANApalr6w1gsS
sighed heavily as he lowered his head into his palms "No word. The last148Please respect copyright.PENANAvGJaKvtbOp
letter he sent said he was on the outskirts of Avrym's domain......that was148Please respect copyright.PENANAIvZBzD3hlp
five days ago"
"We148Please respect copyright.PENANAhXJj5zcsHk
need to ready or armies." Andraste's voice cracked as she spoke "This148Please respect copyright.PENANAJTBVLOfLXM
bastard has toyed with us enough."
“No, it148Please respect copyright.PENANAeqTho09FuY
doesn’t matter anymore” he replied coldly as he stood and placed his crown in148Please respect copyright.PENANAhYHh6YUV2z
place, brushing away some of his hair revealing his small rounded ears. As148Please respect copyright.PENANAoNqyKM0NPc
Andraste looked at him she thought she saw a look of fear, but she quickly148Please respect copyright.PENANAniihHScwq5
banished the stupid thought
“What?” she148Please respect copyright.PENANAkNAkFQbKNr
choked "YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET HIM GET AWAY WITH MURDERING YOUR148Please respect copyright.PENANAlRvRpvyPJR
DAUGHTER?" The king completely ignored her words as he walked towards148Please respect copyright.PENANAFoGftyDoOf
the exit. She couldn't see it, but his face was riddled with worry. Andraste148Please respect copyright.PENANAVxBWPyIHMh
took one last look at the letter in her grasp before crumbling it and following148Please respect copyright.PENANAl0AYvKueWd
after her brother, swearing to herself that they were going to have a proper148Please respect copyright.PENANAEuUEEo6q4U
talk whether he wanted to or not.
The king sat upon his throne and148Please respect copyright.PENANA6ScVmfAmDG
glared at the nobles gathered in the room, he felt a hand grip his shoulder and148Please respect copyright.PENANA1xooIZOs6z
he looked up to see his sister smiling at him, her tears were gone and she had148Please respect copyright.PENANAhj5SmxvwYL
an air of confidence about her. Though the two weren’t siblings by blood, they148Please respect copyright.PENANAlwGSY3vR8V
had always had each other’s backs, for nearly thirty years they have been148Please respect copyright.PENANAGknO1ajzFd
inseparable, and now he felt that was about to change. He smiled back at her as148Please respect copyright.PENANAWSFTAlHp4j
she made to walk away to join the nobles, but he grabbed her hand “stay” he148Please respect copyright.PENANAwi3e7XxbxQ
whispered. Andraste nodded without looking at him and brushed off his hand,148Please respect copyright.PENANAZUBRDuVWo7
that was when he realized he was right, she would not be with him this time, if148Please respect copyright.PENANA25LRT6DQsO
his nobles didn’t kill him now………his sister would. The king gulped as he148Please respect copyright.PENANA2K6sL1t4q1
cleared his throat to address his people, he severely doubted he could best the148Please respect copyright.PENANA1JVp9KNSqT
nimble Elf in a fight. “First of all, I thank you all for answering my call” he148Please respect copyright.PENANA17vugVrzMx
began, watching as they stiffened and stared dumbly at him. He had taken148Please respect copyright.PENANAECbmRfpSuL
advantage of all these people, and he knew he would pay the price today.
“I know it148Please respect copyright.PENANAeDDBeqH03I
was a bit short notice, but the matter was too urgent -"
"What148Please respect copyright.PENANAX58UyvpOVx
the hell is the meaning of this, Roland?" A voiced cried out from the148Please respect copyright.PENANAEvh52GbDW7
semicircle of nobles, cutting him off "I had important matters to attend148Please respect copyright.PENANAMynC2EDVIN
to and not only do you call me here at such a time, you also have THE FUCKING148Please respect copyright.PENANAeWk4m8xf8M
NERVE -"
There was a148Please respect copyright.PENANAu0lvuM8kRU
flash of silver as something raced through the air cutting off the voice. It148Please respect copyright.PENANAh6R1itSurI
was then followed by shrill scream. The nobles looked at the old man who was148Please respect copyright.PENANAVJ3W1mu5K6
now clutching his face. He opened his mouth to speak but was instantly cut off148Please respect copyright.PENANA9S6m05WqBM
by Andraste.
"The148Please respect copyright.PENANAEz97xqIDK1
next person to interrupt this meeting will leave this room missing a148Please respect copyright.PENANAsBwhhSvwkY
tongue." The gulped as he heard her words. He rose his hand and spoke once148Please respect copyright.PENANAzvM31lENzy
more "As I was saying, I'm terribly sorry for calling you all here at such148Please respect copyright.PENANAtqWDstmPes
an hour, but I'm afraid I had no choice. As I'm sure you're aware, there have148Please respect copyright.PENANAPrjlpAyEcV
been rumours circulating the kingdom for the last six months, stories about how148Please respect copyright.PENANAOPyjjApPzg
you nobles have been sending the kingdom assassins to villages on the edges of Lanatheas148Please respect copyright.PENANAyCFaAD95u6
to kidnap young girls from their homes."
"Permission148Please respect copyright.PENANAEgVCsccaSK
to speak, sire?" A young man spoke up from the group
"Granted"
"Those148Please respect copyright.PENANAMrczW0hGg2
rumours have been nothing other than, well......rumours." he paused before148Please respect copyright.PENANABicuCG6f9p
continuing "you had us all investigated by your Spymaster, Lord Brinn that148Please respect copyright.PENANAxFy9ru1Hv5
is, and as I'm aware....those investigations yielded no results148Please respect copyright.PENANANMsSbMfdFf
whatsoever"
"I'm148Please respect copyright.PENANAZVnKmWPgIq
afraid that's simply because Brinn was ordered to not carry out an actual148Please respect copyright.PENANAMXHphCqXSw
investigation....."
"Pardon?"148Please respect copyright.PENANAcOSUmv57Qa
His confusion was echoed by everyone else in the room, including Andraste.148Please respect copyright.PENANAq1yS3ANNyB
"What do you mean by that brother?" She asked as she looked down on148Please respect copyright.PENANAVeKbP1vFf5
him. The king looked at her and shook his head, her eyes were cold and he felt148Please respect copyright.PENANAtvfKOJNDOg
like she was going to cut open his throat after his next words "I'm148Please respect copyright.PENANAaUAdxmxKiE
ashamed to admit the rumours are indeed true" he paused and then continued148Please respect copyright.PENANAYOtEElVflr
before anybody had the chance to react "In fact.....those assassins were148Please respect copyright.PENANAHS8X8ZxCdm
sent out by me, and were led by none other than Brinn" before he had even148Please respect copyright.PENANAlCMC0JX4xV
finished talking, the nobles were shouting and demanding answers. They wanted148Please respect copyright.PENANA5VwrbPqOJG
to know what he had done, as well as why. In the uproar they had all forgotten148Please respect copyright.PENANAq0nxPVLjlj
Andraste's threat, all but one man who was trying to leave his seat before she148Please respect copyright.PENANA1WiGwihqj0
noticed him. The nobles, realising that he had no intention of answering them148Please respect copyright.PENANA0rP25psBX0
then started to rush towards him on the throne, but before the got close148Please respect copyright.PENANAuFVHQxRyKY
Brinn's cloaked form fell Infront of them from the ceiling. He stretched out148Please respect copyright.PENANAP2Dn2V1Bz5
his hands, showing the throwing knives between his fingers "Who dies148Please respect copyright.PENANADmtlm4SRxy
first?" He asked sneering. The nobles gasped as they backed away slowly,148Please respect copyright.PENANAcSR6z1uVLb
Brinn glanced behind him and saw Roland running through the back doors. Brinn148Please respect copyright.PENANANnUmloUqac
knew the king wasn't afraid of the weaklings before him, so he figured he must148Please respect copyright.PENANA4StTnIjyMt
have been running from his sister. Brinn might have been the one to teach her148Please respect copyright.PENANA8KgTsNNxd0
everything she knew, but even he wouldn't be able to inflict injury on her148Please respect copyright.PENANAzrMcRGeibY
before his head rolled. Without looking at her he sheathed his knives and went148Please respect copyright.PENANAdFlSxMozFc
after the king.
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All of this148Please respect copyright.PENANAvG7LfStuEF
had happened before the princess had even finished processing the information148Please respect copyright.PENANABCaCFs8Wmq
she was just given. She didn't notice any of the events that had just148Please respect copyright.PENANABfHsRh3diF
transpired.