Private Tales There's Daggers In Smiles

[Elise Virak]

It was in moments like these that Elise had to control herself. She had to stop herself from seizing the power of her family and drawing upon the well in full force.

The power of the families, the true power was a secret among the common folk.

Other Houses knew of course, they each had their own little tricks, but the commoners? They thought only the Dreadlord's had the powers of magic. Thus when she saw Takama fall, when she felt the carriage suddenly jerk to the side, all that she could do was grab onto the handle and hold herself fast.

A breath filled her lungs.

The horses broke, and then suddenly the carriage went slamming hard into a nearby knee-high wall.

 

[Takama]

The wall broke before the carriage did but it was enough to send it tumbling onto its side, a cloud of dust rising. The piteous cries of the horses pierced ears. The outriders moved for cover, most dismounting. It was foolish to stay on horseback in these cramped confines.

Takama rolled onto her back, her whole body aching. She'd managed to protect her head but the fall had still knocked the wind out of her. She didn't have time to rest, she forced herself to crawl for the cover of the carriage. More crossbow bolts hit the ground, they were coming from up high. Through the dust she could make out shadowy figures approaching.

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise growled as she crawled from her seat.

The tipped carriage was an annoyance, not something that could ever have seriously injured her. Lips thinned and teeth bared as she pulled herself up through the window. She could see the shadowy figures through the clouded dust and smoke, her head snapping to the side.

Three of her Dreadlord's were pulling themselves to their feet, though she did not see Takama. "Burn them!"

There was no unease to her word, no hesitation.

An order was all the Dreadlord's had needed. As soon as their mistress spoke the mages acted, lashing out in an instant and spewing fire through the whirling dust.

 

[Takama]

Fire flew through the air and engulfed the figures. The screams were terrible to the ear. The dust was cleared by the onrushing heat, revealing human torches staggering around before they fell. Other Dreadlords blasted skyward. Blood showered the street as one assassin blew apart, a leg landing with a wet smack on the cobblestones.

The street was left deserted. The townsfolk had fled and so had any surviving assassins. One of the Dreadlords helped up a still coughing Takama while another held out her hand to assist Elise down from the carriage. The charred remains of the assassins still smoked.

"We shouldn't linger here" Takama managed to get out. "Who'd dare do this in the middle of Vel Anir?"

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise stepped almost daintily onto the street, hands patting down her dress and fingers rushing through her hair to shake loose any dust that might have landed on her.

The Baroness looked almost impossibly immaculate, the only sign of this little incident being a small cut that had embedded itself in her shoulder. A frown touched her lips as she glanced around the street, gaze lingering upon the corpses. Her head shook slightly in disappointment. "Fools."

It was both an answer and a comment.

They should have allowed one to live, but in her anger she had been brash. Fingers tightened for a moment, and then she took in a slow breath.

"We'll walk the rest of the way." Elise commented dryly. "Clear the way."

 

[Takama]

The guards rushed to obey. Too few in number to form a phalanx around her, they still ensured she was covered from all sides. Three took the vanguard while the others fanned out, eyes watching doorways, windows, and rooftops. They left the carriage and the corpses there without a backward glance.

Takama moved by her side as the small group moved at a quick march towards the Virak holding in the city. Most of the townsfolk were wise enough to scatter at the sight of noble livery and the Dreadlord markings.

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise was practically fuming now.

The idea that someone would attack her on the streets was about as insulting as spitting in her face. Had she the ability she would have burned the entire neighborhood to the ground simply for allowing it to happen.

She felt an unabashed fury as she stalked forward, the Dreadlord's in close formation around her. The crowd scattered ahead of them, and the grand buildings of the inner city fell into view. A grand gate stood before them, soldiers of royal livery standing at each side.

They stiffened as her group approached. "OUT OF MY WAY!"

Her voice boomed with an unnatural thunder, resonating through the streets and cowing the guards. Neither of them said a thing, simply standing to the side and glancing at the ground as Elise and her guard made their way through the gate.

Now was not the time to get in her way.

 

[Takama]

Takama had tensed as they spotted more soldiers in royal livery. Elise threw caution to the wind and advanced with her eyes blazing. She'd kept her blade ready but the force of Elise's command and the sight of the grim Dreadlords made them quail. They dropped their gaze, allowing the party passage.

Takama's heart was in her mouth until she spotted the familiar sign of a Virak banner, they were nearly there. Her pace quickened in anticipation, eyes roving. "We'll be safe in a moment mistress. There's your family holding".

 

[Elise Virak]

The walls around her families estate were a bastion of their own, Archers and a handful of Dreadlord's standing and watching the streets below. Banners fluttered from some of the towers and over the top of the heavy steel gate.

Generally speaking the Dreadlord's did not waste their time as sentries, but she could only assume that her father had ordered them in place as a show of force. Her lips thinned slightly as they continued down the street, calls echoing from the walls as someone atop them recognized her.

"OPEN THE GATES!"
​

A dozen more yells echoed, and then the heavy steel doors began to fall open. Elise never stopped her stride, somehow leading her party even from it's center.

Within just a moment they stepped into the walls, the gates closing behind them as they moved into the Estate's Courtyard.

 

[Takama]

There was no mistaking that Elise was their focal point. Where she moved, they followed. The last few backstepped into the courtyard, their eyes wary of a last minute attack.

All of the great houses had a bastion like this in the city. A miniature citadel within the fortress that was Vel Anir. There had been little hesitation about opening the gates once the sight of the heiress walking was visible.

Takama let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. They were safe. "Are you alright mistress?" she asked quietly, her voice for her ears only. She could sense the anger off her. The insult would be repaid in blood.

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise was taking off her gloves as she spoke, clearly livid. "I'm fine."

Tucking the white gloves into her belt she fumed still, her lips thinning as she saw a handful of maids and servants pouring from the main building of the estate and heading directly towards her. They were all dressed in the colors of her House of course. Some carried water, others wine, and still others a parasol to shield her from the sun.

"I need to speak with my father." Her lips thinned as the words came, then she suddenly stopped as she waved to Takama.

"Find Verix." Takama would of course know the man, her Father's long time compatriot. Verix was a Dreadlord of the First Rank, one of the most powerful mages in Vel Anir, even when you counted members of the Great Houses. "He needs to know what happened."

An heir to a Great House attacked in the streets? That was a scandal ready to explode.

 

[Takama]

"Mistress, you're wounded" Takama objected, her hand indicating the blood on her shoulder. "We should get you inside and treated. I will find Verix" she said. Her hands were ready to catch the heiress but Elise was no swooning maiden.

The gaggle of servants drew closer and Takama let them swarm to her. "By your leave then". She stalked off for the estate, breaking into a run. Servants brought refreshment for Elise while her guards still stood in readiness.

 

[Elise Virak]

Elise grumbled something about not being a china doll, but by the time she spoke the Servants had already surrounded her and were caring to her every need.

She shrugged most of them off with a look, though a few were a tad more insistent and handed her some water. The other Dreadlords frowned at the behaviour, though clearly they were not going to interfere. "Bring me to my father."

The Baroness told one of the servants.

"I need to speak with him." Almost immediately the woman began to bow and scrape in front of her, directing her into the estate.

As they moved forward Elise shook her head.

 

[Takama]

Fear of her father overrode their fear of Elise. She could grumble but they weren't going to leave her side. They moved around her while she entered the estate.

Takama found her seated, her minor wound being tended to while the other servants bustled about her. She'd brought Verix with her. A Dreadlord of the First Rank, he was practically a member of the Virak family by this stage, a lifelong companion of her father and feared for his magical and combat skills.

"I have him mistress, I've explained about the attack" She could tell that anger was going to make some in the house lash out, no matter who it was at.

 

[Elise Virak]

"Someone is going to die." Some already had, but there would be more before the end of the day if she had anything to say about it.

"Your father doesn't want that."
​

Verix spoke to Elise like nobody else did, nobody save for her father anyway. His tone did not quite demean her, nor was it talking down to her, but there was an authority to it which almost matched her own. It was as though he were instructing her, rather than advising.

Elise didn't like it.

"The attack didn't come from any of the other Houses. It couldn't have."
​

A frown touched the Baronesses face, her lips thinning as her fingers tightened. The Servant that touched up on her wound glanced at her, almost as if the reaction was from her. "How can you be sure?"

 

[Takama]

There was a privilege awarded servants of long standing. Someone like Verix could speak to Elise more plainly than even a rival noble would have dared. And she listened, knowing how her father would react if she were to show disrespect.

"We don't know though" Takama argued, "We saw barely anything. It was crossbow bolts from the rooftops and then others on foot before we killed them. No identifying marks, the ones we didn't kill, they fled. We were held up on the road and at the city gates, there was ample time for any of the houses to prepare an ambush".

 

[Elise Virak]

"War is in the air."
​

Verix spoke plainly, though he didn't even spare a glance for Takama. The woman was less than nothing to a man like him. Having stood by Elise's father's side for so long the Dreadlord had picked up more than a few of his habits. Disrespecting those 'beneath' him was one of them.

Elise couldn't help but frown just a little.

"They know that any move against us would have her Father strike out in a heartbeat. The Ruling Houses want peace, not war. That's why we have knife-ears in the city."
​

The Dreadlord nearly spat on the floor at the mention of elves.

"Still." Elise began, her voice grating slightly. "Someone attacked me, and that means someone has to pay."

She shot a glance at Takama.

 

[Takama]

Takama's teeth gritted. She'd not had a close look at any of the attackers but she was confident they were human. A great house no, but one of the minor ones?

She sighed as Elise looked towards her. "We can make a gesture mistress but against whom? To lash out blindly will make us look clumsy and ignorant. We need a show of strength, not desperation".

 

[Elise Virak]

Briefly her mind flashed to the idea of simply grabbing people off the street and slaughtering them as a show, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Takama was right, they couldn't just blindly lash out.

The consequence would be too great.

Unfortunately House Virak did not hold enough Authority to pillage through the whole city. They had armies, but most of them were not within Vel Anir itself. She frowned for a moment, glancing up at Verix for just a brief moment. The Tall Dreadlord seemed displeased by the very idea of vengeance.

At least for the moment. "Fine. We'll hold off."

Her fingers tapped against her arm.

For now. She thought to herself, a tight smile forming on her face as she motioned to the servants around her. They swarmed away like a gaggle of frightened geese.

"I'll go speak with my father." She told the two Dreadlord's. "Takama, I will meet with you later."

When they could speak without a chaperone.