Private Tales Bloody Revenge

[Ilona Xy'Mari]

Charlotte Remelda had traveled for a long time. The days had started to all blur together.

But according to the world, Duchess Charlotte Remelda was dead so she was in no hurry. She was out for revenge and she would take all the time that was needed to see that each of her subjects who betrayed her paid.

With the help of Alfonso, the loyal to her assassin they had hired, she had found someone who may be able to help her. She had a name and she had a location. That was it. She just hoped that those two things were enough to get her into the presence of Baen Zavaleta.

Darkness had fallen a couple hours ago but she was so close and she refused to stop for the night. She consulted the last piece of her hand drawn map and then looked up. No, this could not be right. Her map had brought her to a castle that was built into a mountain. A large dark castle that screamed run away. Unfortunately for the inhabitants of said castle, Charlotte was not someone who felt fear.

It was close to midnight by the time she approached the huge gate that kept the unwanted visitors out. There were no guards and that caused a furrow of her brows. Perhaps this man was not one who worried about intruders. Well...he was going to get one tonight.

Charlotte checked the gate and it was unlocked. She looked around once more before pushing the creaking gate inwards and stepping onto the castle grounds.

Baen Zavaleta

 

[Baen Zavaleta]

The Eyrian Valley
​

Charlotte Remelda

As she walked deeper into the structure that sense of absence would become more pronounced.

No guards, no servants scurrying about, but somehow the place was immaculate regardless. No dust, no filthy cobwebs or other signs of neglect. Whoever ruled this place cared about their comfort. Almost as much as they cared about their privacy.

Something seemed to be pulling her forward.

One step at a time.

Hallway in, hallway out. One corridor cornered to the next. Until Charlotte met a new set of doors. They were large and stately. Born of elderwood with a hint of dark crimson. This was something old. Somehow even older than the castle itself. As if the ruler had taken these doors from somewhere else and placed them here in this isolated fortress for a specific purpose.

One last chance to back out.

If Charlotte did not? The moment her hand reached out to the handle to open it up something surprising, but perhaps also entirely expected thing occurred. The doors began to slide open of their own accord. The throne room was more splendid than the halls previously visited by the Duchess.

They were golden and purple and shimmering with light.

It all surrounded a single creature sitting on a throne. They were studying Charlotte with undisguised curiosity and did not say a word... yet. Instead there was that frozen quality to them. As if the Duchess was being Witnessed by a statue.

One that took a breath every few minutes and crossed one leg over the other once curiosity was satisfied.

"Baen Zavaleta greets you." They murmured sweetly as graceful fingers beckoned to her. "Come forward, we would like to take a closer look at you."

 

[Ilona Xy'Mari]

It was too quiet. A castle was never this quiet. Even in the middle of the night, there were always servants doing something to prepare for the next day. Charlotte had no idea where she was walking but she knew she was going in the right direction. It was a strange tug like someone was walking in front of her and pulling her along by the hand.

She looked up at the large doors and reached to touch the beautiful wood. Her hand never got to feel the door though because it opened on its own. So the castle had some kind of magic. That seemed to make sense especially with the lack of life around here.

Charlotte looked around the throne room and let out a small gasp. It was surprisingly beautiful. She may not like humans but she could appreciate a pretty room or two.

Her eyes fell on the long figure and once he called her forward, she could not help but approach the throne. The good news was that she found the right place.

"I am Duchess Charlotte Remelda and I need your assistance..."

Just saying the words made her lip curl. She was not one to ask for help. She did not need it and she did not want it. This was different. She had people to kill. Many people.

 

[Baen Zavaleta]

Baen smiled pleasantly.

"Few creatures find themselves here, in front of us, because they enjoy the scenery." No, there was always a reason for their approach. It would be insulting to them, if not for the fact that they liked their own comparative solitude.

It would be rather annoying if people flitted by every few minutes.

For a while the Lord of the Valley just studied Charlotte. Naked curiosity. Perhaps weighing exactly what a noble creature such as these could want from them.

"Assistance is such a delicate word, isn't it?" Baen shifted and then gingerly took hold of his wine glass resting near her. It didn't seem to have wine in it though. Far too... thick and slowly swirling as she gently took a sip and mmm'ed there.

Eyes closed briefly.

Then opened again.

"What can Baen Zavaleta do for you, Duchess Remelda?"

Charlotte Remelda

 

[Ilona Xy'Mari]

Her eyes fell on the wine glass and she tilted her head to the side at the sight of the liquid that sat in it. That was not wine. She was not sure what it was though. She had been warned that he was strange but that he was the person that could help her. She was assured of it even.

"What can Baen Zavaleta do for you, Duchess Remelda?"

Charlotte took a breath before answering.

"I need to murder a bunch of people and I heard you were the person that could help me. It is not the murder itself that I need help with. It is the logistics and getting them all before they have times to scamper like scared little bunnies. Useless, scared little bunnies..."

---

Baen Zavaleta

 

[Baen Zavaleta]

Charlotte Remelda

Murder it was then.

This was usually why Baen was hailed.

Some sort of killing. Either the silent assassination, the ugly destruction of war, or something in between. Part of them wondered why they were never asked to build something or to conduct diplomacy. But then... perhaps they ought to use a different home.

While the Valley was beautiful, her house within was terrifying or at least uninviting. Not exactly the place you found a builder nor a diplomat.

"Baen is a royal of death, dear Duchess." The Lord declared with a wide (slightly) maniacal grin that burst out of nowhere. "This can always be done, yes. But what will the Lord of the Valley get, hm? He is a hungry creature, he always wants more. Will you be able to sate their desire?"

Pushing off the throne they rose up elegantly.

At the height of the rise Baen froze up. Studying her with even more intent... and then glided down the steps one at a time.

"What costs is the Duchess willing to pay for her vengeance?"

Could it be anything other than revenge pushing forward this bloody woman?

 

[Ilona Xy'Mari]

“What do you want?”

There was no hesitation in Charlotte’s question. It would be silly to offer him gold. He clearly did not need it and the way he glided towards her told her that it would not be enough anyways.

No, he wanted more. He wanted something that he could not obtain on his own.

And she would give it to him.

She would give anything to get her revenge and then she would kill him too. Easy work for a killer. A warlord that was alone was a warlord that could be taken care of.

---

Baen Zavaleta