acebrock
07-05-2009, 06:45 PM
this serves as a new intro for my characters (who will require further expansion), as well as a way to advance the story begun in part 1-an attempt on his majesty's life
_________
There had been no word on the king since the attack, even though several hours had passed, and the sun was casting long shadows over the city of Talinus. The Thanes had been convened to determine the next course of action. and a full scale search of the capital had been ordered for the assassin, as well as a curfew from sundown to sunup.
_________
Acebrock was walking back to Shadowlight Court, a few blocks away from the main thoroughfare, Griffon Way, and wondering what would come of the attempt. He didn't much like mingling with the people, even if he would happily defend tham to his last breath. This did spawn rumors that he considered himself better than the common man, or he had something to hide, but he really was just a natural recluse who became stressed out when spending a significant amount of time in a crowd, and preserving his own sanity was his number one priority.
As he was approaching Penekarn Lane, a woman's voice came up from behind him, saying, "Put up your hands, and turn around."
He did so, and asked, "How many female soldiers does the Tysian army have again?"
"I'm not a soldier, state your name and business."
"Acebrock, and I'm headed to Shadowlight court for the night. Who are you?"
"Mia," she said eying him with suspicion her spear pointed at his neck. She dropped her guard after a minute, saying, "You're not the man I'm looking for."
He dropped his hands to his sides and said, "good to know," when a sneeze from the shadows caught both of them off guard. Acebrock drew his sword and Mia pointed her spaer into the darkness. He said sharply, "Step out of the shadows and show yourself."
A young woman stepped out, her face concealed by a full helm, her hand on a particularly brutal looking dagger. "Who are you?" asked Mia.
"Esti," said the full helmed woman, "and I mean you no harm. This time."
"Esti? The Vigilante that leaves her marks dead in the street?" Asked Acebrock.
"I'm not a vigilante, I'm an assassin, who works to preserve law and order by the most effective means available to me. It may not be popular, and it may get me killed or imprisoned at some point, but it must be done."
"While your goals are noble, your means are anything but. Murdering people in the streets for any reason only drive a further wedge between the law and the people, never mind that all people are guaranteed a fair trial," said Mia.
"Tthe justice system allows guilty people to go free, and is thus ineffective, and simply inflames the suffering. Anyway, all criminals deserve death, because, otherwise they will be able to commit more crimes and cause more people to suffer," said Esti.
"So you would willingly subvert the will of the crown for the sake of what you call a better world? Should you not work within the law to ensure that criminals are unable to commit further crimes?" Asked Mia.
"The crown is weak on crime, as I said. If they were harsher in their enforcement, then I would not be doing what I'm doing, and Trithik would actually be a nice place to live."
"You know, as much as I'd like to debate the merits of killing criminals or bringing them to justice, the curfew starts at sundown, which is in about a half an hour, and I'm not sure that the guards will be willing to let you off because of an argument."
Both women, realizing that he was right, decided to to set off on their way, as Acebrock continued down to Shadowlight Court. A few minutes later, Mia ran up to him and asked, "Can I stay the night with you? I have no real home and I doubt that there are any beds available in the inns."
"Give me 50 gold and I'll see to it that you have a bed in shadowlight tonight, even if it has to be my own."
_________
There had been no word on the king since the attack, even though several hours had passed, and the sun was casting long shadows over the city of Talinus. The Thanes had been convened to determine the next course of action. and a full scale search of the capital had been ordered for the assassin, as well as a curfew from sundown to sunup.
_________
Acebrock was walking back to Shadowlight Court, a few blocks away from the main thoroughfare, Griffon Way, and wondering what would come of the attempt. He didn't much like mingling with the people, even if he would happily defend tham to his last breath. This did spawn rumors that he considered himself better than the common man, or he had something to hide, but he really was just a natural recluse who became stressed out when spending a significant amount of time in a crowd, and preserving his own sanity was his number one priority.
As he was approaching Penekarn Lane, a woman's voice came up from behind him, saying, "Put up your hands, and turn around."
He did so, and asked, "How many female soldiers does the Tysian army have again?"
"I'm not a soldier, state your name and business."
"Acebrock, and I'm headed to Shadowlight court for the night. Who are you?"
"Mia," she said eying him with suspicion her spear pointed at his neck. She dropped her guard after a minute, saying, "You're not the man I'm looking for."
He dropped his hands to his sides and said, "good to know," when a sneeze from the shadows caught both of them off guard. Acebrock drew his sword and Mia pointed her spaer into the darkness. He said sharply, "Step out of the shadows and show yourself."
A young woman stepped out, her face concealed by a full helm, her hand on a particularly brutal looking dagger. "Who are you?" asked Mia.
"Esti," said the full helmed woman, "and I mean you no harm. This time."
"Esti? The Vigilante that leaves her marks dead in the street?" Asked Acebrock.
"I'm not a vigilante, I'm an assassin, who works to preserve law and order by the most effective means available to me. It may not be popular, and it may get me killed or imprisoned at some point, but it must be done."
"While your goals are noble, your means are anything but. Murdering people in the streets for any reason only drive a further wedge between the law and the people, never mind that all people are guaranteed a fair trial," said Mia.
"Tthe justice system allows guilty people to go free, and is thus ineffective, and simply inflames the suffering. Anyway, all criminals deserve death, because, otherwise they will be able to commit more crimes and cause more people to suffer," said Esti.
"So you would willingly subvert the will of the crown for the sake of what you call a better world? Should you not work within the law to ensure that criminals are unable to commit further crimes?" Asked Mia.
"The crown is weak on crime, as I said. If they were harsher in their enforcement, then I would not be doing what I'm doing, and Trithik would actually be a nice place to live."
"You know, as much as I'd like to debate the merits of killing criminals or bringing them to justice, the curfew starts at sundown, which is in about a half an hour, and I'm not sure that the guards will be willing to let you off because of an argument."
Both women, realizing that he was right, decided to to set off on their way, as Acebrock continued down to Shadowlight Court. A few minutes later, Mia ran up to him and asked, "Can I stay the night with you? I have no real home and I doubt that there are any beds available in the inns."
"Give me 50 gold and I'll see to it that you have a bed in shadowlight tonight, even if it has to be my own."