King's Throne room

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Red Gypsy

Bowen removed his swords from her neck and placed them back at his sides as he took her blade in one hand and used the other to offer her a hand up.

Once he had her standing, he handed her the blade back.

"Thank you for finding me worthy of the task Lady Wren."  

[Red Gypsy]

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She shook her head with a small smile as her cloak vanished, "Just Wren. I carry no titles beyond those I have already mentioned and as wife to my husband," she told him simply then gestured to the throne with the crown on the seat.

"I chose you because you are worthy, my king. Your heart showed in every decision you made," she stated with a small tilt of her head then motioned to the doorway, "But you have traveled long and hard to get here. Let me show you to your chambers where you can refresh yourself and rest for a bit," she offered, knowing he was likely in need of the comforts the king's chambers offered.  

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"I do not need much. I think after a bath, any bed, even if it is outside in a barn, I will be comfortable."

Bowen followed after Wren as she lead the way out of the throne room and back into the main hallways of the castle which had come back to life.

((exit))  

[Red Gypsy]

Wolfe Garm

Just so that you can follow this one....

Wren was on duty today, guarding King Bowen as he dealt with some issues among some of the elven nobles. Honestly, she could do without all of them. None of them really cared about their people these days. Bowen had been doing his best with them but she could tell that his temper was fraying today with their antics.

None of them dared approach too close to him with her present. She'd noticed that a few of the other guards were allowing visitors to move right up to the throne and she was determined to put a stop to that. She'd started by taking up the job today. She'd be taking the guards to task later tonight.

She hadn't seen Rowan in over a week. He'd said something about his brother being up to something again. She still didn't know how the spell on him and Esabel had been broken, but she wasn't sure that she liked it. Still, it was done. No one had seen Esabel in a while, but Ravor had been spotted in various places. Rowan had been trying to figure out what he was up to, but it apparently wasn't easy...

For now, she kept her focus on guarding the king she'd chosen.

When one of the nobles tried to approach closer, she stepped forward and gave a small frown to him, "No closer than the foot of the dias, please," she said simply and watched as he simply stepped back with a frown of his own.

Thankfully, they didn't try it again and she was able to step back into her place. It had been agreed that only three people could approach that dias: the king's wife, Wren, and Rowan. That was for the king's safety and the rest of the guard needed to be reminded of that...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Bowen sat there listening to everyone who had come to see him today. As of late, problems just were everywhere. Not only was it about the usual small spats between people, but it seemed dark shadowed warriors had been lurking just outside of the kingdoms boundaries.
There had also been the issues between the squabbling siblings Rowan and Ravor.

Bad things always came in 3's and the last one should be a doozy he surmised.

He handled his current complaint from a gentleman about the cost of some traded high ended items, before he raised his hand.

"Alright everyone. It's time for a small break. We shall reconvene in about an hours time."

As everyone moved to exit he motioned to Wren as he got up.

"Care for a walk? You look like you need some air too."  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

Wren gave a relieved nod at the suggestion and moved in to walk beside him, "You have no idea... If they'd kept talking for another minute... I was considering violence to settle the dispute," she told him honestly, knowing that it would make him laugh.

They had a good working relationship and she was proud of the king he'd become. She thought that he was one of the best monarch's she'd chosen. When she'd told him that, he'd simply blinked at her for a moment then changed the subject.

As they stepped out onto the long walkway that ran alongside the throne room and took in the air, she went on a higher alert as she usually did when she was with him, "I have to go over the training for the other guards, though. They shouldn't be letting anyone approach you unless you invite it. And certainly not in the throne room. They know the protocols better than that," she said softly, knowing that he liked to be kept informed of what she had going.

As they paused to take in the sunlight and fresh breeze, she gave a small frown, "I've also been informed that one of the Golden-Eyed Elves has left the castle without an escort. Aylarra apparently decided to sneak out. I think I know where she's going and there's someone already there that can look after her, but I'll probably have to go collect her tomorrow," she added, though she knew he'd have trouble placing that particular female.

Aylarra might have wild red curls, but she was seemingly the most forgettable of the Golden-Eyed Elves that had come when she'd brought them back. Still, the girl had been bugging Wren about going to the Enchanted Forest, but Wren hadn't been able to arrange an escort for her yet...

It didn't help much that there were those dark fighters... And Ravor on the loose...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

Bowen smirked to himself and patted Wrens shoulder before they stood side by side and looked out over the grounds as a breeze blew by them both.

"I'm so sorry Wren. I know you are a person of action and sometimes hearing them blather on forever about things that are so stupid and could be solved so easily with common sense can be grating."

He scratched his nose and looked over at Wren.

"Aylarra? Isn't she the same one who left unescorted last week as well?"

He crossed his arms and moved his neck side to side cracking it nd sighing in relief.  

[Red Gypsy]

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Wren smiled and shook her head, "No, that was Kassey. She wanted to go to the port city to go shopping. I'll be glad when her father gets her married off," she explained simply, "Aylarra is the one with those unruly red curls that happens to be rather forgettable. I think she does that one on purpose, though. Not sure how, but that's one of her talents apparently," she added with a shrug of one shoulder.

She took another look around but had a bad feeling that she couldn't shake so she started them on the path back inside. She took his protection very seriously and knew that it annoyed him at times, but it was her job and he put up with it.

It didn't help that she hadn't heard from Rowan in almost a week. She knew he was chasing his brother, but it wasn't like him to not at least touch base with her...  

[Hot Champion_of_justice]

He laughed as Wren gave her opinion about Kassey.
"Oh she will one day be married, but I have a feeling it will be not what her father expects."
He rubbed his chin in thought as he had heard rumors of a guard who had been sneaking around with a shopaholic woman.

As they continued their walk, he noticed her tension and took a deep breath. He could feel the odd hum in the air and he couldn't place it. It was if the whole area was holding its breath. Almost as if it was afraid of something.

Before Bowen could say anything, he let out a grunt as he flew forward as something blasted him from behind. He was sent flying over the railing and slammed into a nearby tree hard.

As he slid down the tree, explosions could be heard happening all around.

Ravor and Rowan appeared both bloodied and fighting one another. As they cut and danced around one another, shadows of soldiers came out of a portal that Ravor opened up when he had a moment.  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

Wren felt both the blast and Bowen's hit. The protections on the king had been set up a very long time ago and she couldn't get around them. So she took a bit of his damage as he landed into the tree, knocking the breath out of her and cracking a few ribs.

But she still pulled her sword and used a touch of magic to pull Bowen up to her and got him laying down on the balcony, "Stay here," she told him simply, knowing that he wouldn't be found unless he did something stupid.

Then she went into the throne room and took on the soldiers coming out of the portal, still managing to fight as gracefully and as deadly as she usually did despite the broken ribs. She fought wave after wave of them, silently wondering where the guards were.

It took her a moment to feel that the throne room had been sealed. She guessed it was Ravor and knew that she could do nothing until the fight was over. She couldn't even get Bowen out until then. She only hoped they all survived the fight...  

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Bowen nodded as he slowly pulled himself together. He saw Wren run off, sword drawn, and heading towards the throne room.
As he blinked away the stars he could hear the explosions and crumbling of the building.

"I need...a weapon."

He slowly sat up and looked around seeing double. Something felt wet on his face and he reached up and touched blood. He shook his head trying to stop the double vision. As he opened his eyes Ravor appeared beside him a smirk on his face.

"Well well...if it isn't the 'King'."
He grabbed up Bowen easily and slammed him a few times into the wall as if he was a rag doll.
"So weak...the great and powerful king of the golden eyes, is nothing more than a weak child. And here my brother thought you were worth protecting."

Bowen flicked his wrist and a dagger came out of his sleeve. He jammed it hard into Ravors eye and twisted as hard as he could to get out of the mans grip.

Ravor let out a yell as he dropped Bowen and yanked his eye and the knife out. He flung it to the side and looked around with his one good eye.

"You damn knife ear! I will wipe your race from existence! Ahhhhh~!"

He looked down and frowned as he found a sword sticking through his stomach. He looked over his shoulder and found his brother there.

"You think this will stop me? How stupid are you?!

Rowan hopped back as Ravor swung his arm around. As he kept out of his brothers reach he looked over at Bowen who had grabbed up a iron bar that he had found from the broken pieces of the building. He mentally spoke to Bowen about a plan. Once he gave the order, both Rowan and Bowen charged Ravor and kept him off balance as Rowan weaved his magic in the floor at his brothers feet.

In what seemed like an eternity, Bowen took his cue from Rowan to strike. The spell they had both been weaving was now ready to trap the god of chaos. Bowen swung hard at Ravors head as the spell began to lift from the ground and wrap up around Ravor.

But as most plans go, there is always the possibilty it will go south.

And it did.

Ravor wasn't stupid. He knew his brother wouldn't kill him. Never could and never would.

Another trap and he had felt the magic they both thought they were being so sly about, was pooling into a familiar sigil beneath his feet. He smirked as he knew what they were doing.

Once the elf king had swung his sword and he felt the familiar tug at his feet as the spell began to rise up to wrap around him, he ducked under the Kings weapon and swung with his own sword.
A satisfying sound of steel slicing through meat and bone met his ears as blood sprayed all around.

A hearty thud as he saw the head of his attacker roll away as the body stood there.

Within a heartbeat Ravor had magicked himself out of his would be trap and faced Rowan.

"Oops. seems your ward has lost his head."

Rowan couldn't move fast enough. He knew the moment he saw his brothers smirk, he knew Ravor knew. Rowan watched as Bowens head came clean off.

Rowan knew Ravor had to be stopped. Permanently.

he mentally called out to Wren.

"Wren...Be prepared, for darker days approach. The castle will go dark but you...you will not be sealed in. You are still her keeper but it's up to you to lead now until you find someone worthy enough to light the castle again.

Rowan called to his sister the goddess.
"Take care of Wren for me. Help guide her way."

Rowan looked to his brother and once their eyes locked, both men charged at one another.

Blurs of movement, sounds of steel and the crackling of energy was all that could be heard as a white hot light too hot to be viewed upon wrapped around the brothers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then all was silent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once the light had faded and the dust cleared, both gods were dead. Rowan holding onto Ravors head in a clutched hand and Ravors oddly still smoking sword, piercing right through Rowans chest.  

[Red Gypsy]

Hot Champion_of_justice

Wolfe Garm

Wren felt Bowen's death like a blow to her chest and it staggered her, allowing a few of the shadow soldiers to strike her. When she recovered enough to continue the fight, she got the message from Rowan. She turned with wide eyes and tried to run to help him, to stop what was happening.

But she was too late...

The blast of light actually threw her back a bit and forced her to cover her eyes. When it faded, she let out a scream of pain and hurt that could actually be felt throughout the castle and the entire realm. In that moment, she held nothing back of her powers. That scream blasted the shadow soldiers back through the portal Ravor had opened.

She slowly walked over to the bodies, her sword dropping to the floor on the way. She pushed Ravor's body a bit and gently slid Rowan's head into her lap, taking in a shaking breath as she gently pushed his hair from his face as silent tears started to fall.

The guards finally rushed in to find that scene and had no idea what to do.

Especially when the Goddess showed up wearing a heavy cloak that rustled like dead leaves. She moved to kneel at Wren's side then gently pulled her into her arms to hold her, "I'm here, sister..." she told her softly and held her for a long moment in silence as they both cried.

After that moment, the Goddess raised her eyes to the guards, "Call to the priests. Bear all three to my temple for full rites," she ordered, her tone inviting no arguments. With that command, though, she'd honored Bowen for his sacrifice in the fight.

The guards all gave a respectful bow then one left to call to the priests.

They came in short order with stretchers and linen cloths. They followed the Goddess' orders as they picked up all three men and laid the cloths over their bodies, then carried them to the temple for the funeral rites.

The guards all expected Her to leave but she didn't. She stayed with Wren, holding her close as she wept for her loss...

Then the bell sounded...

The bell rang throughout the realm, marking the death of the king. Ordinarily, that would mean that another was to be chosen by Wren. But Rowan had stopped that somehow. He'd given her the time to grieve before she had to choose another monarch...