Three Evils (Open)

[severine]

It was a proclamation. A grand announcement, one for the month. A public spectacle. Overnight, posters had begun to go up. There was to be an execution, and a crowd had gathered around the gallows. A grand woman was standing there, dressed in elegant furs with a towering and jeweled headdress, clearly much too glamorous for this district. She stood atop the gallows, a thin smile on her regal face, a long sheet of parchment in her hands. The skeletally thin woman was flanked by two heavily armored guards, their faces hidden by hoods. The woman spoke loud, deliberately, with a voice deeper than one would expect from her frame.

“Tomorrow at the setting of the sun, a traitor will be executed here on this spot.” One of the guards unfurled a parchment they had been holding in their hands, depicting an illustration of Claire. Severine gestured back to the picture, not tearing her eyes from the crowd. “A Fated Assassin who tried to steal the life of our beloved King will be executed on this spot tomorrow at dusk. Who would like to see her die for this crime?”

There was a great cheer from the gathered crowd and the thin smile grew over Severine’s face. “Her name is Coaxoch Fynn and she is a Fated whore. The crown begs that if you know anyone in contact with this traitor that you come forward so that we may dispose of any of her collaborators as well. Would you not enjoy seeing that?” There was another great cheer from the audience gathered.

“Come forward, my citizens. We will put an end to this infestation that has infected our beloved country. Her collaborators will pay with her! Do you not agree?” There was another great and fantastic cheer from the crowd and Severine smiled, turning and moving back. Guards flanking the gallows began to hand out parchment with the execution date and copies of the illustration as Severine moved to walk down the steps of the gallows. Aveline was waiting for her there, quiet and veiled to hide her identity.

“Do you think this will work, Mother?” Aveline asked quietly, looking over to the eager crowd. Severine turned her head back to the crowd with a haughty look.

“These type of people are terribly bloodthirsty, my darling girl. They would turn over their own mother if they suspected. A hanging is good for morale. You will realize that better when you are Queen.”

[Deleted]

Kail had rumblings from various people on something big that was going to happen. He was heading to the Gallow's Inn for a quick drink until he heard something from the execution grounds. He currently had a cloak over what his normal clothes. Then the blond put the hood over his head and listened and watched. As Kail stayed silent but felt sickend as heard this woman speak with viper's tounge. Not only were they covering up what had happened but scapegoating Fated like himself. Some of them innocent victims that were forced to come here without a reason. He wanted to run up and kill the old hag that was in front of him. But right now was not the right time, plus it would ruin any chances to save Claire and be more of a burden to Rivers and Aria. Retribution would be at hand tomorrow and he would make sure his friend survived. And perhaps during the chaos he could get rid of the old crow. It seemed that he would need to find a perch to snipe from. Not too far but not too close so if he had to rush in from the roof tops he could. He gave a cheer when the crowd let out one not to raise any red flags.

After this though he was going to get training for magic, he mentally had a chuckle once he got that power. Then he would be a terror to his enemies or those that would do wrong to Fated. He waited for the crowd to disperse before walking away. He took the parchment that was being given out. It still enraged him but swallowed it as the blond had to focus on his mission ahead of him.

[Deleted]

Séanait had been on her way to the Gallows Inn for a stiff drink when she'd been caught up in the crowd as it had surged towards the center of the square. She could feel the crowd edging towards a mob and, given all the posters that had been going up and what had happened to Claire, she didn't like it. Already she had resigned from the Guard over Claire's lack of a proper trial, and she had briefly contemplated trying to rescue Claire. That thought had quickly been abandoned, though. She didn't have the time or the resources to arrange a proper rescue. Besides, that might mean fighting against Ilta, and Séanait wanted that even less than she wanted Claire to die. As a result, she was currently planning on putting an arrow through Claire's heart and giving her a more dignified end than the hanging. She owed Claire that much, at least.

A magnificently dressed older woman began to give a speech, and Séanait felt the crowd turn into a virtual mob. She went along with it, suppressing her own feelings and hoping that no one recognised her. If anyone here connected her with Claire, she was a dead woman. A cold fury began to burn within her as she considered the effects of the woman's speech. Every Fated was now in danger, along with anyone who knew them. Before the night was out there would be some Fated or their friends beaten or killed. Probably a few strangers from this world would suffer the same abuse as well, being different. Hundreds might have their houses burned or be raped or beaten or killed. And for what? Because they had been forced her against their wills?

Séanait clamped down on the anger and detached the primal part of her mind from her higher functions, allowing her to go along the mob while still thinking out her next avenue of attack. She couldn't stay in the city now, not with a mob forming. First off, she should get word to Ilta immediately. She might be a Guard, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be attacked by the mob. If anything, it might egg them on more given that Claire was accused of killing the king.

After she warned Ilta, she needed to get as much money as she could, so that she could buy supplies. A good pack mule, a week's food supply for three, a tent and another two dozen arrows should do the trick. Maybe she could get hold of some magic to conceal herself? She'd have to look into that if she had the chance. Once she had the mule and supplies she needed to find Kail and Yuki. Kail would probably try and fight and get not just himself killed but a whole heap of other innocents. Yuki wasn't entirely helpless but probably wouldn't realise the gravity of the situation. Then they needed to leave as soon as possible, preferably before nightfall. After that, well, who knew. Somewhere far away, where they weren't likely to be torn apart by a mob, at any rate.

The crowd began to break up as fliers were handed out, and Séanait began to edge her way out of the crowd. She had a lot of work to do, and not enough time to do it in. With there being no need to following along with the mob, the cold flame of anger returned, and she began to make other plans, plans that involved her best set of skills.

[Rivers]

"Put this on." Whispers a voice behind Seanait, as a beat up hat was tossed into her hands. If Seanait turned she would find a dirty man in a long patchy coat with a patched hat standing behind her. The man was fairly tall, and gave the impression that he was probably handsome under all of that grime, but he appeared to be a person from the third district. However upon closer view Shy would probably recognize Rivers, his jovial good humored expression gone, and his hawk like features set in a grim expression.

Seanait would hear his voice impossibly close to her ear given where he was standing. "You need to cover your hair, red hair is common among the fated, particularly the fated women, they might take note of you for it." He whispers and then jostles a bit, naturally flowing with and through the crowd.

"Come with me, I am going to start gathering the fated I can find before something bad happens to them." He tells her, Shy had seen Rivers teleport before so if she was looking to get somewhere, he would not be a bad individual for follow.

[Deleted]

Aria stood in the crowd, listening to the announcement with a frown….this was extreme. Not for the first time she thought that Claire was an idiot. Many were paying for this girls actions…. They were put into a lose lose situation here. She took a deep breath and sighed looking up at the sky with a frown….Things were not going to be pleasant moving forward. Aria looked back down, her face cooled into a smooth expressionless mask as she made her way through the crowd. She already knew she was being watched; and she more than well knew people had already seen her with Claire. She had danced with the woman once during the winter’s ball. As she made her way to the gallows and stepped up and just stuck out her wrists to the guards.

”I’ve spoken with the woman that is being executed on only a few occasions; I got punched in the face and a knife to my throat for my troubles when I did. But a contact is a contact; arrest me then. I won’t deny it or try to hide it.”

She was going back into that damp damn fucking cage again….

[Deleted]

The voice was familiar, although only just so. Séanait turned as a hat was pressed into her hands and she took a step back, just in case. The man was, at first glance, unfamiliar, but she peered under his hat and looked at the shape of his face, rather than the clothes and the dirt. It was Rivers, the mage from the Spring who called Aria "Boss". Deciding that he probably wasn't going to out her to the mob if he was handing her the hat, she quickly donned it and, as he mentioned that Fated women tended to have red hair, tucked her hair up under the hat as best she could.

Rivers mentioned that he was gathering up the Fated, causing Séanait to look around for anyone close enough to overhear, but no one else seemed to hear. She nodded at Rivers and moved up close to him, so it would be harder for the crowd to separate them. It seemed as though the man had more of plan than she did, so she'd follow him for now. Besides, he might be able to help her get to Kail and Yuki.

"I've got some friends who might need to come. Kail came here the same as me, and Yuki lives with us, so she's in danger too. Can you help with...Shit, red hair! That woman from the springs who pissed Aria off, she's a Fated and Kail's woman to boot. I think she's somewhere around here. She'd be in more danger than either of those two."

[severine]

The commotion grew as the crowd began to take their posters and look around, peering suspiciously at once familiar faces. Guards scanned the crowd, looking for panic or familiar faces and shopkeepers began to look upon their patrons in a new light. Two guards leaned together, spying a familiar woman in the crowd before her telltale amber-colored hair was covered. The split apart and began to move through the crowd towards the woman and her new companion.

Severine looked over when she heard a voice of a woman turning herself in- well, more like a girl from the looks of her. A foolish girl. Her lips curled in a snarl and she left her anxious veiled daughter with a guard more than twice her size to stride to the young, horribly scarred woman. One of the hooded guards moved from the gallows, pulling shackles from his belt.

Cold metal snapped around Aria’s wrists as she held them out and Severine moved around the guard, her expression still warped by a deep snarl. She reached out with a gloved hand and took the young woman’s chin, tilting her head back and forth.

“Saden’s Champion. She’s Fated.” Severine gave a long look of disgust to the gnarled scar on the girl’s face. “She’s already made contact with His Majesty. I’ll be certain that he is informed.” she withdrew her hand. “Chain her to the gallows or put her in the stocks, do what you will with her. But I want her back here in chains by morning. I want her to see what comes from betraying his Majesty.”

Meanwhile deep in the crowd, a hand closed around Shy’s arm to halt her progress through the crowd. A fresh-faced guard, back from the castle, had her arm tight in his grasp.

“Is this why you quit?” he asked, leaning towards her. “Did you know the woman? And that’s why you quit? You have to come with us, Shy.” The other guard came out of the crowd, standing imposingly in front of Rivers. This man was over a head taller, with shoulders broad enough to shadow the slighter man. “You and your friend.”

[Deleted]

Aria smiled sweetly as the woman came up to her, really she’s seen porcupines more intimidating. However even from here she could smell the stench of madness coming from this woman. However just before the cold metal snapped to her wrists Arias eyes glowed a deep orange gold as her face when slack. She stared straight into the eyes of the older woman and spoke. When she spoke many voices spoke from her voice, Sadens, Ais, Vennessa, Mylees, and Zepons boomed across the gallows. Much louder then what the small red head seemed to be capable of.

”Innocent blood will be shed, but with them the guilty may perish; all who judge will face the final judgment and wait out eternity in agony. No crime goes unknown, we are always watching.”

The clasps here clicked and Aria slumped slightly as the divine power that seemed to be being channeled through her, drained out of her. She looked down at the shackles and tugged her arms apart slightly to test, the metal bit sharply into her skin. She allowed her arms to fall limp and looked up with her chin held high as the witch of a woman grabbed her chin.

”I am fated here by no choice of my own; just as you had no choice to be born here. Fated or not I’m from Nova; I have and always will be a part of this world. I serve the Norus and my gods; my only crime here today was speaking to a foreign idiotic woman.”

Aria kept her eyes on the old woman; she would not incriminate anyone else by looking for familiar faces. All while she let the bite of cold metal strain at her wrists, Noku would know soon enough even before this witch of a woman get to him… personally she refused to believe Noku had given this orders. They made no sense…..this was going to spark a rebellion….not prevent it.

[Deleted]

Kail slowly uses the crowd to make his way out of there and he saw Aria walk up to the gallows and turns herself in. He did not turn around and kept moving as he did not want to draw attention to himself if he looked back. The blond slowly gets to an allyway and takes a deep breath. As he did, he heard a booming voice that sounded like many at the same time. It made him think the voice of the gods and none the less he heard the message. He attaches a shadow gem to his nicknamed Materia Bracelets and vanishes into the shadows and walks between them. Since Kail wanted to get home before he was caught by some moronic towns person or the guard. He knew something big was going on and it was pissing him off that he was still in the dark on this stuff. He wanted answers to what was going on in this world as things were getting more and more out of control.

[Deleted]

A hand clamped down on Séanait's arm and she spun to face the man, langseax halfway from its sheath before she even knew what was happening. When she saw who had grabbed hold of her, she relaxed her grip and began to let got of the weapon. Then the guard spoke and she very deliberately slide the weapon back into it's sheath, but kept a firm grip on the hilt.

“Is this why you quit? Did you know the woman? And that’s why you quit? You have to come with us, Shy.”

Séanait sigh, and looked over at Rivers. She hoped he had some magical means for escape, because right now all she could think of was trying to cut her way through the crowd or, if the worst came to the worst, forcing the guards to kill her. She wouldn't die a cowards death, on show for the whole world to witness her shame. Her grip tightened on the hilt as she took a brief moment to think. She might still be able to get out of this without violence, if only she could find the words.

"We hunted a dragon together once, just after I was forced to come here by your gods. So, yes, I know her, but that's not why I left. I left because she is a free woman, but she was given a thrall's trial. Her guilt or innocence doesn't matter to me," A lie, but she wasn't about to admit that here, "But the lack of proper justice does. I won't force any free man to submit to your brand of justice, and I'll die before let her," Séanait pointed her free hand towards Severine, "Kill me as a coward and an oathbreaker just because I was forced into this world."

[Rivers]

Rivers swore under his breath as the guards appeared from the crowd and places a hand on Seanait, this was not going as smoothly as he had hoped. Though when the guards started talking he let out an inward sigh, talking he could deal with, but as he looked around he found that even if he could talk Shy and himself out of this situation by then it might be too late to get the others.

When Shy also begins talking he comes to a decision, he couldn't tunnel them while the guard held into Shy, but that by no means meant that he did not have a trick or two. Without saying a word he raised his closed fists and slowly begins to open them in a gesture of surrender. When his right palm opens he suddenly activates the light gem sewn into his glove.

As the disorienting light suddenly bursts to life he speaks into Shy's ear. "Break his grip." Following whatever move Seanait made, and trusting the hardened warrior could deal with the young looking soldier, he activates the shadow gem in his right palm and then he whispers urgently "follow me," he grabs Seanait's arm and pulls her toward a clearing, preparing to make a tunnel to allow their escape.

[Deleted]

There was no warning, just a brilliant flash of light and River's voice telling her to break the guard's grip. Séanait, who had taken an involuntary step away from the blinding light and half closed her eyes, reacted immediately, slamming her fist down onto the guardsman's wrist and then gripping it and tearing it away for good measure. Then the light was gone, and it seemed to her as if she was in shadow. Then Rivers was pulling on her arm and telling her to follow him. Hoping he had more of an escape plan than just blinding everyone, she stumbled after him, still seeing after images from the flash.