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Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy roleplaying forum! We strive for creative, free-form roleplaying, in the hopes of allowing each and every single member the power to achieve their potential.
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| Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy forum! We're always looking for new, dedicated members. Elenlond is composed of two continents: Soare and Esiria. Esiria, a land now isolated due to the efforts of the last remaining Goddess, is inaccessible to all beings and lies in the east. Soare, a continent in the west, is composed of three distinct nations: Ashoka, Soto, and Morrim. Lying between the two major continents are the Scattered Isles. Since the dissolution of the pantheon and the fall of the gods, these countries have existed in relative peace and prosperity. But how long will that peace last? Enter Elenlond; Turn the pages and tell your own tale. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
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| Trouble In Paradise; [Razarod + Kenna] | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 5 2008, 09:10 AM (354 Views) | |
| Razarod | Jul 5 2008, 09:10 AM Post #1 |
King of Angkar
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The main gate of Evermore Castle swings open wide, allowing Ankgar's lord and lady to ride majestically back into their home. The two had a lovely break from their duties the day before, when Razarod rode out to meet Kenna a day before her return. But alas, all good things come to an end, and their day off has come to its end now. So now the great iron gate swings open, and Love walks steadily through the gate and up the great stone steps, carrying the giant, robed, navy-haired king and his petite queen on her back. Their escort is absent, having been sent home beforehand, so Love crosses the gate alone, a one-horse parade of sorts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After making their entrance, the king and queen make their th the stables, when they dismount Love and leave her with the stable hands, their long journey finally coming to a close after two long months. He takes his wife in a strong embrace and holds her closely. "It's so much nicer here when you're around. There's a glow, a happiness that you bring to this place." ___________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile, Antony and his comrade are just leaving the library. Having finally found the required book and set it aside, they intend to return to that room and take it that night, and to make their escape then. So now it is just to perform their normal duties until night has fallen, which is only half a day away. |
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| Kenna | Jul 5 2008, 04:30 PM Post #2 |
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Queen of Angkar
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"A glow, you say? Perhaps it's just that you're actually somewhere other than your study during daylight hours. Don't think me ignorant, my love! I know you do nothing but pour over lists and registers while I'm away." Kenna wrapped her arms around her husbands waist and laid her head against his chest. His height compared to her smallish frame made her feel somewhat akin to a child... but this embrace was certainly not one reserved for a young one. "Come. There is much to attend to." She pulled out of Razarod's arms and took his hand. She began to walk back towards their castle but quickly turned around. Stretching up on her toes, she inclined her head to kiss her husband (even on her toes, she couldn't reach his lips with her own). ----- Antony and his partner started when they exited the library. Was that the ring of trumpets? The sound heralded the return of the king and queen. Glancing sideways at the older man, Antony raised an eyebrow in question. He had not expected having the lord and lady of the palace present when he did his work. He cheeks began to flush with color and worry. "Keep your head, man." the older spy reprimanded, "If we do our work right we go unnoticed." Even as he said this, he nodded to a few passing guards. To the listener, it was simply a declaration of the silent work of a servant - do your work, don't be noticed, do not speak unless spoken to. |
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| Razarod | Jul 13 2008, 09:21 PM Post #3 |
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King of Angkar
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The king smirks as his lovely queen remarks on his habit of working overly hard while she is away. She's seen right into him again, effortless, as she has been doing ever since that day six years ago. "Perhaps you're right... But I'm a king. That comes with a lot of work... Work which I'm glad I have you to occasionally distract me from...." Razarod leans down to kiss his wife. After planting a kiss on her lips, he sweeps her off her feet and carries her into their castle, their home of crimson, burnt orange, and blazing yellow looking especially welcome after the two months spent out on the road apart from each other. ___________________________________________________________________ Antony nods to his comrade as the two of them wander the halls conversing. Is he in over his head? The king is a big job, especially for his first time... "So... sir... when are we going to be... finished?" He almost asks when they will be making their escape, but realizes that uttering this word in the company of guards would not be a smart move. The large man raises an eyebrow. "Sir? We're servants. Equals. Use my name. Which is Balthazar, by the way, I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner. And we expect to be... finished... just before nightfall." |
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| Kenna | Jul 24 2008, 09:39 PM Post #4 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna smiled and returned his kiss, filled with the love she's had for him for many years. "Yes, but a king is still just a man, my love. And like any man, he must rest!" She squealed slightly as he drew her up into his arms and then rested her head on his shoulder. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, her eyes filled with devotion to her king. The worried words and thoughts she spent over him were the product of being so enamored by this great man. Her castle was her place of rest - her solitude - her fortress. It had her mark as well as that of her husband's. When she was alone there, she could look anywhere and see Razarod's hand in it... guided by her own, of course. She would never truly trust Razarod with anything that needed to be aesthetically pleasing around this palace. With her luck, he'd make it a masculine paradise. That wasn't exactly something she wanted to spend the rest of her life living in. She smiled to herself, thinking of the blunders her husband had gotten himself into while they had worked at renovating their new home. ---- Antony ducked his head. Yes, yes of course- he should have remembered their roles. If he couldn't do this one simple thing, this task of being a servant, how would he ever expect to do any of the "big" jobs. Antony stopped that line of thought. This was a big job. They were trying to catch the king and queen unawares. There were too many men of the Old Ways that didn't want to see their power dwindle and fall under the authority of a man who had once been a nobody. True, the king's wife was said to have royal blood from her own land, but that land was not here. And Razarod's own lineage couldn't be traced to anyone of importance. Antony hid a snort. Even he could find familial ties to a king of the ancient days - before the Time of Chaos. Who was this man who thought he could take the throne? There hadn't been a king for so long... the Old Ways were fine. Certainly, there was no structure, no balance between the rich and the poor. Poverty was so strong... But it was not the impoverished who promised to fill his coffers with coin and valuables. It was the rich. "Good. Good. It will be a good thing to be finished with our work." He had to take special care not to put too much emphasis on "work". Any suspicion could be turned into a charge of treason at the drop of a hat. And he knew that the king's wife would not take kindly to anyone attacking her husband's name or throne. Anyone would be well-aware of the love and devotion she held for that giant of a man. |
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| Razarod | Jul 27 2008, 10:19 PM Post #5 |
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King of Angkar
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"Speaking of rest, we should take a vacation sometime... Even royalty need it... They're supposed to be throwing this party on the Kaadian Way in celebration of the Summer Solstice... and really, who doesn't love summer?" Razarod makes his way up the steps of the castle, his queen lying happily in his arms. "How does that sound to you, my love?" He smiles, already confident in her answer. She's made it quite known to him in the past that they need to get away from this for a little while and spend some time together. Finally, the king reaches their bedroom, and carries Kenna through the dark oaken doorway, setting her gently on the bed. "Great to be home, isn't it?" he says as he kisses his queen once more. __________________________________________________________________ Balthazar nods. "And if the work gets any harder than we expected... well, that's why I'm here." While he does not say or do anything to explain itself, between the glimpse Antony caught earlier of the chained object in his pocket, and the man's appearance: large, strong, harsh... This man is armed and is ready and willing to use whatever weapon it is that he's brought with him. As the pair reach the next floor, Balthazar stops walking. When he speaks again, it is in a different tone of voice than the one he's used before, this one is a far more casual voice, less aggressive. He also speaks loudly enough to be heard by the other guards, to ensure Antony has a valid excuse for leaving his usual post at the stables. "Thanks for the help, Antony. Took two people to list that damned thing! I hope I didn't keep you away from the horses for too long." With that, Balthazar turns and makes his way back to a higher floor, presumably to finish whatever task he was doing. Antony makes his way back outside through the stables, careful to take the lesser-used passages to avoid being noticed by too many people. Only a few more hours until he's home free... With both wealth and honor to be found in great amounts. Assuming, of course, that nothing goes wrong... at least nothing that the other man can't handle... |
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| Kenna | Jul 27 2008, 11:27 PM Post #6 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna returned her husband's quick kisses before flopping back onto the bed with a sigh. She reached toward Razarod and when she felt his hands in hers, she pulled him down next to her. Kenna stifled a giggle. A woman so small and slight as she could move a man so large and strong as her husband with the twitch of a finger. It was in those moments that she knew that she could never be in any danger as long as Razarod was near. He would not - could not - ever hurt her. As Razarod lay beside her, she leaned closer to him to kiss him, but stopped as just their noses touched. "A vacation would be nice. Would we go places other than the Kaadian Way? There is so much I should like to see..." Her words became muffled as her lips found her husband's. Her fingers were woven with his and she smiled as she leaned her head away from Razarod to look at him. "How should I be so blessed in love?" Her heart was full. So many changes were in place: for their people, for their land - and so many more yet to come. Hopefully they would have the time to take care of them. ------ As Balthazar walked the narrow passageways back to his "domain" in the castle, he ran over the past few months. Apparently the "queen" - he scoffed at the idea of calling that foreigner a queen. She didn't even know how to properly handle a sword - or at least no one had seen her attempt it. Most assumed she had no background in anything having to do with attack and defense. Just a pretty face, a quick mind to solve menial problems at best. pah. The queen had said "The only way to build a fortress is from the bottom up... so we will attend to the needs of our land and our people from the lowest of the low, to the top." What benefit there was in getting those street brats into schools was not something Balthazar could determine on his short walk back to his library. Well, not HIS library - the queen's library. That was the reason he was here. Wait, scratch that... that was the reason he was able to gain access to the castle. The reason he was here was for much less than the literary entertainment of the queen. It was for - footsteps down the hall stopped his thoughts. He would not even allow himself to think of the deeds ahead with others present that were not of their order. Even with Antony it was difficult. The boy was so young... and so green in his experience. No matter. While the queen was a respectable woman, she was not the queen of Ankgar. No, that queen would have been born and raised on this island by a man and woman who had also been born and raised here. Kenna was a woman from a land only the greatest scholars had heard of. A land far on the reaches of the world. And land foreign to any man who walked across the plains of their great island. This Kenna did not know their land. She knew her own. She did not know these people. She knew her own. For this reason she could not be considered qualified or appropriate to be a ruling monarch. Balthazar would not think about his "king." The man was brutish, carried no air of manners, had never set foot in a royal assembly - or even had relations with anyone who was of noble descent (not that it had mattered in the Old Ways - it merely said that he did not possess the money of the Great Houses- the last surviving evidence that Ankgar had once had a thriving, unified and organized, society. The Great Houses now stood as a reminder to the poor that they were poor and a reminder to the rich that they were rich. They did not lead, they did not rule. They did not care for their tenants who lived in poverty. It was from that class of people that their supposed king came from. Certainly, he had made something of himself as a warrior - but that did not make up for his utter lack of noble gentility. He would have to hide behind his wife to appear at all appropriate and she was a shy little bird who merely wished to cling to his arm whenever at court. Balthazar reached his small study that he could call his own and sat down in the wooden chair. It had long been found too hard to sit in for too long, so one of the seamstresses formed a padded seat to place on the chair. Balthazar found that he could work comfortably for much longer with it and always made sure to thank the seamstress. You see, he was not all evil. Certainly, he aimed to overthrow this new monarchy - one that strove for equality and justice. For care, sympathy and mercy to those less fortunate than yourself... He believed in the latter. It was the equality that worried him. They may try to make all men equal, but still they will have to set men above others and that could again cause derision. No matter. It would not last much longer. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He would have to appear to be working for some time. And he had to get the message out to his correspondent in the city. When he first began with their... organization... he wondered why they had worked so hard to find someone who could call themselves a librarian or book afficianado. Now he knew. At a moment's notice he had to be able to use their cipher and the vast array of books that he had available to him in the queen's library to send out messages. They were intended to appear as booklists - orders, returns, whatever booklists are used for. It has become a very useful technique... though it can take some time to code the cipher and be sure it gets into the correct hands. Balthazar took out a piece of paper and a stack of envelopes with scraps of paper inside. He would be working on a few more ciphers, though he would be sure that it would appear that he were merely cataloging the books in the library. Once dusk set, he would light a lamp in the window of hte library. Then rush down to light a lamp in the window where his colleagues would enter. This little League of men had no name - they were merely the League. And they would be sure to do their job. To assassinate the King and Queen of Ankgar. |
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| Razarod | Jul 28 2008, 10:25 PM Post #7 |
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King of Angkar
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Several hours later, the king and queen have just come from their dinner. The servants begin to clean the dishes, and tidy the dining room as Razarod and Kenna take their leave. At this moment, a sound echoes through the castle. It is the chiming of a bell. It chimes once. Then a second time. Then a third. A fourth comes soon after. A fifth. And then a sixth. Six chimes. It is not six-o-clock in the evening. The sun is starting to sink out of the sky, and the castle's staff prepare for nightfall. The guards fan out and begin their systematic search of the castle's many hallways. Not a single room is exempt from this search, and all guards travel in pairs. If anyone or anything is lurking about, certainly they will find them. And with the buddy system in play, one is almost guaranteed to be able to tell the tale, either through victory or by calling in backup if need be. Razarod starts to make his way back up the stairs, Kenna's hand in his own. But then an idea enters his head. It would be nice to have some alone time, which isn't going to happen until the guards finish their search. But that will be another hour or so. Unless.... They always do the bottom floors first and work their way up. "Kenna...." The back passages on the bottom floor of the castle will already be finished by the time they get there. They can avoid everyone for the rest of that hour easily. "The back passages. We can get away from everyone there. They'll have already searched them by the time we can walk there, so we'll know they're safe, and we'll be left alone..." He takes her hand once more and starts to head off in that direction, already knowing her answer. ___________________________________________________________________ Antony continues his duties outside, casting a few nervous glances about the area as he does. No one so far has missed him, thankfully. They can't afford to blow their cover now. Not with it so close to being complete. He grabs a nearby shovel and makes his way into the stables, out of view from all except for the horses. The horses are the only ones he really doesn't have to worry about, they won't understand anything they see him do or hear him say. And they certainly won't be talking. Making sure no humans are directly around him, he reaches into his pocket to read over his copy once more, hoping that something can some to mind that will help. His hand, however reaches and touches nothing. This can't be right.... Panicked, the boy checks his other pocket instead. Again, nothing. He must have dropped it somewhere in the back passages of the castle! What if it's lost, or someone finds it? Of course it's disguised, but Razarod hasn't surrounded himself with complete fools... someone will surely grow suspicious... He hurriedly drops the shovel and starts to run inside. But at that precise moment, a bell sounds six times. What terrible luck! The watchmen have begun their 6-o-clock search of the castle grounds and halls! He certainly can't go scouring the passageways of the castle for it now... While a piece of paper lying on the ground could probably go unnoticed by guards looking for a threat, a servant out of place searching an obscure area of the castle would be just slightly more suspicious. Best to wait until they're done. Antony instead busies himself doing what looks like clearing brush, but in reality is preparing an escape route. He can only hope Balthazar is able to figure it out on his own, and that no suspicions are aroused before they leave here. |
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| Kenna | Aug 1 2008, 05:13 PM Post #8 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna grinned and gripped Razarod's hand tighter as he pulled her along. While sneaking around was not necessary for them whatsoever, the idea of avoiding and hiding from the rest of the castle intrigued her. Besides, having her husband truly to herself again would be marvelous. Kenna's feet moved quickly to keep up with Razarod's long stride. As the passages got darker and the stairs grew narrower she let memory overtake sight in the task of navigating her way behind her husband. They had not lived in the castle too terribly long but she had wandered these halls long enough to know their twists and turns. And really, it wasn't that long of a jaunt to the small pocket of space that she knew they were headed. In the darkness, Kenna's arms found their way around Razarod's waist. She buried her head in his chest and stood still, enjoying the feel of his body so close to hers. --- With the sound of the bells, Balthazaar knew that it was nearly time for the task to be done. Soon, he would be free of his duty and he could return to the quiet life that he had enjoyed. He knew things could never return to normal... but any semblance of normalcy would be welcome over the constant hiding and lying. He may have been good at it, but he didn't enjoy it. In a few minutes the pair of guards would enter his study and check each corner for anyone who may present a threat to their great king and queen. Balthazaar found it almost comical that the one who presented the most danger was one least expected: a librarian of little name or fortune... yet. Soon his pockets would be heavy and his name would be among those other greats who were able to carve out a chunk of history in their honor. He smiled to himself. Oh, what was he doing? Daydreaming of the future when there was so much to attend to in the present. He picked up his quill once again and took up the painstaking task of coding the messages ingrained into his mind. It would not do to have the original, uncoded message lying about... Balthazaar's quill stopped short. Antony... he hadn't burned the paper before he'd left. Surely... Surely nothing could have happened to it. The boy would not be so careless as to let it fall into the wrong hands. There was a knock at the door. "My lord librarian, may we enter?" He composed himself, rearranging the books and pages on his desk before answering. "Of course, as it serves the king." He smiled at the familiar faces. Over the past few months the same two young men had come to check his library... er, the queen's library. They were familiar with every nook and cranny large enough to hide a weapon, a man, or any other sort of subversive material. "We'll be but a moment, sir." "Take all the time you need, gentlemen. You are not disturbing me. However, would you be so kind as to light the lantern i have set in the window? The sun has begun to set and I'd like to finish my work before I retire for the evening." He smiled and held up a flint to light the lantern. That would alert the others that the search was nearly finished. One of the young guards took the flint with a nod and quickly lit the lantern. Once Balthazaar was finished, he would go down to light the lantern at the top of the stairs that led to the back passages. No one went there after dusk. |
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| Razarod | Aug 14 2008, 12:20 PM Post #9 |
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King of Angkar
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The back tunnels are dimly lit, their stone walls appearing a pleasant shade of gray as the king and queen make their way through them. Except for the guards at each entrance to them, there is no one around, nobody to make a single sound. Indeed, there is nary a sound inside these tunnels, the single exception being the footsteps and muted giggles of Razarod and Kenna. As the massive squadron of guards and watchmen scour the castle halls, their royal highnesses make their way towards their favorite place to hide. Razarod softly plants a kiss on his wife's soft lips, gently squeezing her hand, greatly looking forward to their alone time in the depths of their castle. This tender moment is interrupted, however, when Razarod's foot finds a stray piece of paper and then proceeds to fly out from under him! Putting a hand out and leaning on the wall, he finds his footing and comes to his feet, snatching the piece of paper than nearly sent him to his knees from the floor. "Someone left a list of books just laying here in the tunnels... weird..." To him, it means nothing, and he dismisses it. But were Antony here to see what has happened, he would be in terrible fear for the operation right now. ____________________________________________________________________ Antony, however, is trying not to think about the list which he dropped in the tunnels. The escape route behind the castle has finished being set up. The steep rocky hill is difficult to navigate, but that applies to those who would try to watch and pursue them as well. These hills on the side are nowhere near and dangerous as the sheer drop that is to the direct rear of the castle, and the hill on the north side leads to the road away from town, a good hundred feet from the gates of Ildri. Assuming that nobody catches on tonight, they can be in another city by tomorrow morning, far away from the king and queen, such that they are. |
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| Kenna | May 6 2009, 11:33 PM Post #10 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Antony, finally reaching the end of his first leg sat on a boulder on the downward slide away from the castle. This rest was short and he would have barely any time to chew on the hard bread he had quickly stuffed into his pack on his way out of the castle. He wished he had the use of a candle from the study to warm a cup of tea- the candle he'd used to burn the secret message... Antony's mind raced to a stop. The message. He hadn't burned it. He was supposed to in the presence of the librarian but he had been too quick to leave. Many words flew through his mind... a few of them being "dead" and "forgotten". Grabbing for his pack he began to search for the note. He'd chew it up and swallow it if he had to. Upon his initial search there was no sign of the note. Trying not to panic, he searched again - his pack did have those pesky little pockets that often hid things like pens and clips and his small candle that he would light in the darker areas of the library. His second search turned up nothing. Looking back over his shoulder to where he had come from, he realized it could mean only one thing. The note had fallen out of his hand somewhere along the path of his fast escape. ---- Her lips muffled against her husbands, she mumbles "A list of books?" Her curiosity about the wayward slip of paper is quickly forgotten when Razarod's arms tighten around her waist. She smiled into his kiss and put a hand on the side of his face. Some things are more important than a random piece of writing. Besides, she knew the librarian often took walks down here to ponder the great amounts of literature that he read each day. Yes, the feel of Razarod's strong arms about her waist, his hands reaching for her posterior was much more interesting. In any normal circumstances, she would've swatted his hands away. But in normal circumstances there was always a chance of being interrupted. She remembered the knowing look that the guards gave to her and her husband when they darted into the dark corridor. These were not normal circumstances and they would not be interrupted. "Mmm..." She sighed as she leaned against her husband. It had been too long since she'd had Razarod to herself and not had to share him with the business of ruling a people. It had been longer still she had known her husband in a way that no other woman ever would. Even after years of marriage that thought still elated her. The man who held her so closely was her and hers only. Oh, praise the Creator for that! Pulling her face away from her husband's, she smiled. "You still know how to catch me unaware, my love..." She had more to say, but too quickly she felt Razarod leaning her back against the cool stone wall, his lips silencing her. She could almost hear him complain "Why do you always feel the need to talk to me at a time like this?" Even she didn't have an answer for that... It was times like these that needed to words to express how much she loved him. ___________________________________________________ Kenna sat next to Razarod, a big, happy grin on her face. She still knew the contours of his body, the feel of his hair, and the way his lips would curl upward under her kisses when she'd try to say something. They leaned their backs against the cool stone of the wall, hands barely touching, heads leaned together. Kenna shifted and her foot touched the piece of paper. Curious, she leaned forward and picked it up. In the dim light she could make out very little. This note was in a mediocre code... as though it had been scribbled quickly as a last minute thought. There were lists of books written there, words scrambled within the titles. Had Kenna not been so familiar with her library collection, she would have missed it. But there it was... In the dark corridor Kenna squinted at the small parchment and gasped. As clear as day it was written - someone was trying to kill her and her husband. Edited by Kenna, May 7 2009, 07:19 PM.
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| Razarod | May 11 2009, 11:02 AM Post #11 |
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King of Angkar
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The king and queen sit together in a loving silence in the tunnels, basking in the soft glow of the torches, as well as their own afterglow. He reaches over and his hand intertwines with hers, holding it tightly. "Darling... I've noticed that... something about you seems a bit different..." He doesn't pay too much attention as she picks up that random list of books again. It can't be important, certainly not more important than being here with her. Which is why he is all the more surprised at her sudden gasp. "...Are you alright?" _______________________________________________________________________ Another bell rings, signaling the end of yet another hour. And now it is time. The lockdown and patrol have ended, and the guards are returning to their posts. Posts which Balthazar has memorized thoroughly. The librarian, or more so the man posing as a librarian rises from his seat and begins to wander the halls, seemingly randomly, yet with a distinct purpose: to find the king and queen. Before they retire to their room for the night, which would make it impossible to escape. The man slips a hand into his robe's pocket and wraps it around the steel shaft of his weapon, a set of trichucks folded up within his pocket. If Antony has done his job properly, everyone will be caught unaware and they will be gone before anyone is the wiser. |
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| Kenna | May 11 2009, 07:10 PM Post #12 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Ignoring his first question, Kenna holds the scrap of paper closer to the light of the torches. There could be no question. The titles of the books were scrambled. When picked apart and arranged, it was obvious: there was a plot to kill the king and queen. "My love... look." She held the paper out to him, pointing at the offending words. "The guards have already searched the castle and given the all-clear. There are no intruders... and the use of our library - who else...?" Her mind raced to her trusted librarian. He had come highly recommended. His knowledge of literature was surpassed by very few in the land. But his loyalty had been tested and questioned extensively. She stood, and extended her hands down to Razarod to pull him up. "We have to return upstairs quickly to get to the bottom of this. Why now?" She sighed, pulling her robe tightly around her against the cool damp of the lower tunnels. |
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| Razarod | May 24 2009, 08:34 PM Post #13 |
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King of Angkar
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Razarod's eyes rove over this piece of paper, giving it much more thought now that it contains a matter of grave importance. It takes him a bit longer to read it than it did for Kenna, but sure enough, there it is. The look of fear on his face makes it obvious that he knows exactly what it says. Razarod is an extraordinary warrior, but there is no shortage of people who are as strong as him, or even stronger... Not to mention the potential of a strike in numbers. And what of Kenna? She would not fare as well under an attack, and he can't stay with her every hour of every day, unfortunately... Reading over it again, he notices another thing: the attack is meant to take place tonight! "You're right... we do have to get back upstairs quickly... We don't have much time." The king pulls his robe on and helps Kenna to her feet. "That librarian... I never would have suspected him of something like this.... how did he get this around us so easily?" ______________________________________________________________________ Balthazar is prowling the top floor, waiting for the couple to retire to their room for tonight. It is lucky indeed that the library is located on the same floor, so his wanderings will arouse little suspicion. A guard walks past him, and the two nod to each other casually. However, as the guard is walking away, the trichucks in Balthazar's pocket clink. It is the sound of two rather large pieces of steel meeting, something a simple librarian would have no reason to be carrying. The guard has only paused for a second though when Balthazar moves to silence him. He leaps onto the man's chest and presses one of the rods of the trichucks against the guard's throat, blocking all air from entering or leaving the man's lungs. In barely a minute, the life of the guard has been extinguished, and Balthazar quickly pulls him into a mostly empty room like many other in the castle. No one is likely to enter here until the search tomorrow night. Except by that point.... they'll have two much more important dead bodies to worry about. |
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| Kenna | Jun 2 2009, 08:59 PM Post #14 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna brushed the dirt from her knees and grasped Razarod's hand, pulling him close to her for one more kiss before leaving the sanctuary they had found. Despite something not sitting right with her she wanted to be sure to have one last moment with her husband. She never knew what was to come. "I love you, my king." Inwardly sighing and hoping this was a mistake (but knowing full well that it wasn't), she hurried back into the castle's heart. She fought the fatigue that seemed to come more quickly that she was used to as she climbed the stairs, attributing her breathlessness to the anxiety over the discarded piece of paper - the paper that seemed to hold so much hatred for the king and queen. As they began to navigate their way through the castle, Kenna glanced in the direction of the library. She looked to her husband for guidance. "Do you think we should check the library? Perhaps post a guard there? If someone is using the library as a way to encode and send messages like this-" she held up the piece of paper, "we should be sure to monitor all who go there." Kenna was not yet ready to accuse Balthazaar. He had been a faithful and knowledgeable librarian - the best she had ever known. She had enjoyed his intelligent conversations. Sure no malice could come from that man. Yet he had been so secretive about his past, claiming it was too painful to delve into. Kenna knew she couldn't overlook his suspicious situation. |
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| Razarod | Jun 9 2009, 08:00 PM Post #15 |
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King of Angkar
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Razarod responds to his queen with an "I love you too, Kenna..." before darting up the stairs behind her. Razarod barely notices that she seems a bit more fatigued from climing the stairs than usual, simply attributing it to anxiety from being in mortal danger, or perhaps not even noticing at all, also due to anxiety from being in mortal danger. The king continuously glances at all corners of the hall as he watches for any danger or sudden movements. "The library... Yes. We should check it out.... See if they've left anything else there. And if it IS him... We'll have him cornered." Razarod slowly pushes the door to the library open, making sure to do so with almost absolute silence. The king and queen are the only people in the room, the silence ringing errily in Razarod's ears. The stacks rise over even Razarod's head, blocking the view of whatever is in the other aisles. Razarod leads Kenna back to Balthazar's desk. Being the only desk in the library itself, it would be the best place to hide anything. He rummages through the desk before finding a note hidden in the very bottom of a drawer, detailing the plans for the evening. "It IS him, Kenna! Antony as well.... And tonight's the night!" Only seconds after those words escape his lips, the door to the library creaks open. There is only a short pause before Balthazar's voice rings out. "Hello? Is someone in here?" |
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| Kenna | Jul 16 2009, 08:55 PM Post #16 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna quickly leaned around her husband's body and snatched the note, scanning over it quickly. Halfway through reading it, her head shot up and looked towards the direction of the sound. She whirled around, now standing between Balthazar's approach and her husband. A strange sight, the slight woman standing in front of her tall and brawny king. Over her shoulder, she whispered quietly. "My love, he may not yet be aware that we know of his plot. Do not accuse him of yet. Follow my lead. As I speak to him, move to a place where you can take him - but only if he reveals himself!" Her eyes looked into his, pleadingly. Razarod did not always like to be a follower. He sometimes like to fight first, ask questions later. Kenna had told him that he should learn how to divine the answers from the bloody messes he leaves behind. That had been a hard day, she remembered. The inn at which they lodged had to provide two rooms for the King and Queen. Kenna was none too pleased with Razarod's actions that day. Kenna shook her head. Now was not the time for memories. "Balthazar!" Kenna called out, muffled by the walls of books around her. "I wondered where you'd gone. You're usually here." When Balthazar finally emerged from the maze of literature he had brought together, he seemed to smile uneasily at the King and Queen. "My Lady... The guards had informed me that you and the king had retired for the night." Kenna couldn't hide the playful glint in her eye as she glanced over her shoulder at her husband. "Yes... well, we found ourselves still a little...energized... from the day. I thought we could seek you here for a suggestion. I believe a few more books have been brought to the collection..." |
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| Razarod | Jul 22 2009, 08:34 AM Post #17 |
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King of Angkar
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Balthazar grins as Kenna makes request for a suggestion of reading material, apparently completely unaware of what is to come. "You know I must admit, I am very glad that you decided to visit me tonight..." As he appears to reach for a book at about waist level, he's actually taking the handle of his weapon. Without another word, in one swift motion, pulls the trichucks in their flexible form from his pocket and spins around, swinging them straight at Razarod's head. Razarod, being more aware of his surroundings and of sudden movements than most people, manages to bring his sword into the path of the trichucks just in time to stop them from connecting. The weapon strikes one of his blades instead, and simply rattles harmlessly as metal strikes metal. The king swings the blade out, knocking the assassin's weapon out of his path and swinging his sword down straight for his head. Balthazar, however, is every bit as skilled a warrior as Razarod, and far less rusty at the art of combat, is not to be so easily bested. Before the sword can touch him, he locks the pieces of the trichucks into staff form and holds it up horizontally, easily blocking the sword. The two large, powerful men both push against each other's might with nearly inhuman strength, trying to break the lock they are now in. However, as both have nearly inhuman strength, neither is able to overpower the other. At this moment, Razarod decides to break this stalemate by bringing up his foot and planting it firmly into Balthazar's chest. Unfortunately for the king, his adversary had the same idea, and executed it faster. Razarod finds Balthazar's foot striking him hard in the chest, and he is knocked back into the wall forcefully, and slumps to the ground. As the lord of Ankgar picks up his sword and begins to crawl to his feet, Balthazar advances on him. "You know, everyone talks about how strong you are... but you don't seem like anything special to me... No matter. This will all be over soon..." |
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| Kenna | Jul 22 2009, 03:20 PM Post #18 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna cried out as Balthazar acted much more quickly on his newly uncovered betrayal than she expected. With the sound of colliding metal, Kenna realized that her husband had not been so surprised. Not for the first or last time, she was relieved to have him at her side. The flurry of movement between her husband and Balthazar was almost too quick for Kenna to follow. Had she not been raised as the only daughter in a family of five boys, she wouldn't have known what to look for to discern who had the upper hand. Of course, at the moment, Kenna could see that neither of them had the upper hand. That was a surprise in itself. She trusted so fully in Razarod's abilities as a fighter that she never considered there to be someone that could give him a good fight. The fleeting thought that Razarod hadn't encountered many chances for him to stretch his muscles and test his skill briefly took hold of her as worry over her husband settled into her mind. She knew she needed to stay back and out of the way and not say anything that could distract Razarod. She knew Balthazar would use that moment of weakness to strike her husband down. Kenna scooted back closer to the desk to try and give her husband and this man room to have it out as Razarod slammed into the wall near her. With a horrified look on her face, she fought the urge to put herself between Balthazar and her husband. As the man advanced on Razarod, she did the only other thing she thought of. Grasping a heavy pewter paperweight from the desk she hurled the thing at Balthazar's head. Kenna silently thanked her departed brothers for teaching her to throw with a strong and accurate hand as the paperweight sailed towards Balthazar's temple. The impromptu weapon hit him with a satisfying thud. For a moment, Balthazar seemed dazed, confused as to where the dull lump of metal had come from. He shook his head and glanced towards Kenna and sneered. The little queen stood there, her face as white as the parchment he had used to plan her demise. Edited by Kenna, Jul 22 2009, 03:24 PM.
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| Razarod | Jul 27 2009, 07:26 PM Post #19 |
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King of Angkar
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Balthazar is momentarily stunned from the force of the paperweight striking his head, he had not expected the queen to actually get involved, but to simply cower behind her husband, who is certainly the much greater threat. And now thanks to her action, her husband has been allowed to climb to his feet without interference. Balthazar quickly moves in for another attack, swinging the staff downwards at Razarod. This attack is also blocked, caught between the two blades of Razarod's sword, one of the points coming just inches from Balthazar's face. The assassin's reaction time is slightly hindered, still, by the unexpected assault from Kenna, and Razarod is able to reach out and grab Balthazar by his robes, and hurl him backwards, at least fifteen feet, into a table, which goes crashing down, along with its associated chairs, as Balthazar's limp form goes flying into it. Knowing that the crash is sure to alert the guards, Balthazar leaps to his feet and runs out the library door. Should the guards arrive on the scene, it would become a fight he surely can not win. The assassin becomes a bit wary as he looks ahead and sees the guards starting to arrive, three of them now rushing into the hallway! No time to deal with them properly though, removing himself from view is all that is important now. He picks up speed a bit and lowers his shoulders, plowing all three guards aside as he disappears down the stairs. Meanwhile, in the library, Razarod motions for Kenna to follow and breaks into a run after Balthazar. The assassin's head start and great speed soon put him out of Razarod's reach, however. The king meets up with the guards in the hallway and quickly fills them in. "Balthazar's an assassin... He just tried to kill us both. Search the castle, and close off the grounds! He's got to be trying to leave, so find him before he does!" Balthazar however, has not run for the grounds, but has run to hide in the bowels of the castle. He can not return until the deed has been done. And the castle is immense, it is highly unlikely that they will manage to find him here, walking in the shadows, where he feels at home most. |
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| Kenna | Jul 30 2009, 09:49 AM Post #20 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna nearly skidded to a stop behind her husband, distracted by the shock of the assassination attempt - and from Balthazar, no less. She was embarrassed, betrayed, and dumbfounded. She had personally made the choice to bring him into the library. She had enjoyed his conversation about anything and everything under the sun. Kenna's mind ground to a halt. How much had she told Balthazar in their late-night conversations while Kenna had tried to distract herself from Razarod's frequent absences. Before she could explore that train of thought, Kenna looked up to Razarod and fatigue suddenly hit her like a brick to the face. He had just finished his orders to the guard and she knew that the men would not rest until Balthazar was found. Her body had decided - quite on its own - that it was time to rest. The strain of her emotions running from one extreme to the next and watching a man viciously attack not only herself but her husband had been enough in her mind's eye. Kenna's normally upright and strong posture relaxed and slumped. Fighting the urge to place a hand over her still-flat abdomen in a protective gesture, she reached for Razarod's hand and held it in her own. "Love... You and I cannot do anything more tonight, can we?" Her mind suddenly flitted to Antony. "Tell the guard to search the outlying areas around the castle - if Antony has fled, he could not have gotten too far. She hoped so, anyway. She had no real way of knowing when the young man could have slipped out. It had to be after the guard checked his quarters. There would have been some notification that he was nowhere to be found. Despite the comfort and seemingly lax environment Kenna had become used to in the palace, she knew her husband kept a tight watch over the comings and goings in the castle of Angkar. "I must rest, husband." Kenna knew she would have to tell her husband soon of the secret she had only recently discovered herself. Before that happened, she wanted to give the king a chance to ease his mind. |
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| Razarod | Aug 16 2009, 08:36 PM Post #21 |
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King of Angkar
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The guards scatter about the castle to begin searching for the would-be assassin, several staying behind with Razarod and Kenna. And as the fatigue shows in Kenna, the adrenaline wears off from Razarod, and he too begins to show signs of fatigue. His hand wraps around Kenna's as she grasps for it, the entire gravity of what happened that night finally sinking in. "Search the grounds for Antony, the stable boy... He probably wasn't going to leave without Balthazar... You should still be able to catch him..." With that, Razarod leads Kenna off to their room. The door to their room swings open and the couple trudge in, Razarod nervously looking around the room to make sure everything is okay. Which it is, in the room at least. They can't be sure of their safety anywhere else in the castle but here. As he sits on the bed, he notices the change in Kenna again. She seems to be growing tired more easily today than usual. Sure, today's been a rough day, but... still, something seems different. He puts it out of his mind for now though. Maybe it's nothing after all, it could just be the stress of the day getting to them both. The king kisses his queen goodnight and drifts off to sleep with her in his arms. |
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| Kenna | Sep 9 2009, 05:44 PM Post #22 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna felt her husband's gaze on her and she nervously pulled her gown off and changed into her night shift. She sat at the edge of the bed for a moment and combed her fingers through her hair before quickly braiding it. Kenna sighed and turned close to Razarod and returned his kiss. She rolled over, tucking herself in his arms and sighed. It was a long day and most nights she could fall right to sleep. This night, however... There was a plot to kill her and her husband. Only the Great Creator could know how many in the castle were involved. How am I supposed to put this burden on my love? Behind her, Kenna knew her husband had fallen asleep quickly. She sighed and stared into the dimness of their chambers. The moonlight streamed in through the window giving an eerie bluish glow to the room. Kenna carefully lifted Razarod's arm away from around her waist and gently slipped out of bed. Grasping the thick curtains, she covered the window throwing the room into the darkness she desired. Crawling back into bed, she vowed to herself that she would sleep. She had to. Who knew how Razarod would react. They had never really spoken about children... and she hadn't planned to tell Razarod when their lives were in danger... The next thought that entered Kenna's mind was that she felt somewhat, well, squished. She smiled and pushed Razarod's arm and half of his body off of her. When he was tired, he tended to sprawl. After yesterday, of course he would be tired. Kenna crawled out of bed and pulled a robe around her. Behind her, she heard Razarod stir. It was time. Turning, Kenna looked into the groggy face of her husband. One of her favorite sights in the world. Kenna placed one hand over her stomach and smiled. "My love. I had hoped for a better time to tell you this." Kenna sat down next to her husband. "We're going to have a baby." |
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| Razarod | Sep 13 2009, 08:55 PM Post #23 |
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King of Angkar
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Razarod regains consciousness as the sunlight begins to stream into the room. At first he is content to remain groggy, hoping that somehow if he keeps sleeping, he'll wake up and all of yesterday will have just been a dream. But it isn't. There was really an attempt on his life, and Kenna's life. And the would-be assassin is still lurking about the castle, avoiding the guards and search parties, somewhere. He notices that the bed feels unusually roomy, and as his eyes adjust to the light, he realizes that is because Kenna is not in it. He sits up and sees her standing by the window, looking absolutely radiant in the sunrise. A smile spreads across his face as he looks into her eyes, and, for just a moment, everything in the world is right. As she sits down on the bed, Razarod takes her hand in his, waiting to hear what she has to say. When she delivers the news, at first all he can do is stare in shock? "You're... sure?" Stupid question. Of course she's sure. But the surprise is overwhelming. He throws his arms around her. "Kenna.... This is amazing. I've wanted a child for a while now... But I was never sure how to say anything about it..." But then Razarod goes silent for a second, realizing that there is yet ANOTHER in danger now. "Kenna... you can't stay here while he's running loose around the castle... Now it's not just us in danger, but the baby too. We need to find somewhere for you to stay until it's safe here again..." |
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| Kenna | Sep 15 2009, 07:11 PM Post #24 |
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Queen of Angkar
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Kenna glowed with pleasure as Razarod expressed his excitement over their baby. Kenna placed one hand on her stomach and the other she put on the side of her husband's face as she leaned towards him. "Of course I'm sure!" And then his mood changed. Kenna abruptly leaned back, surprised. Not safe? Of course it's not safe. Life was renewing itself. There was always danger involved there. "I know this isn't the best time to have told you, my love... but I couldn't keep it in any longer. This is something I want to share with you. You can't send me away! We will be fine. The baby will be fine. Our guards are quite capable of protecting us - as are you of me." Kenna gazed intently at Razarod and knew she had no chance of convincing him otherwise. She knew it was irrational, but she felt betrayed. Her husband didn't want her here. He had initially expressed pleasure over her news but quickly changed his tune. Her face dropped. Sighing, she pulled herself up off of the bed and returned to the window. She gazed out at the landscape knowing she wouldn't be looking at it for much longer. It was a sight she had come to love. Kenna glanced over her shoulder to her husband. That was a sight she had also loved. "Please..." Kenna strode back to the bed. "Let me stay with you." |
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| Razarod | Sep 17 2009, 09:13 PM Post #25 |
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King of Angkar
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A sad look spreads over the king's face as his wife begs him not to send her away. He wishes he could keep her nearby, but there's an assassin wandering the castle. And possibly more on the way. He can't leave her here now, especially not now that she's also carrying their child. "Kenna... my love... I wish I could keep you here by my side. But there's a killer loose in the castle... And if he fails, yes, if, there's likely to be more where he came from. I don't want you at risk like that. I will come visit you whenever I can, and I want you to know that I love you with all my heart. It pains me to have to do it, but..." His voice trails off, not sure of what else to say to her. He just wishes she could understand, all he wants to do is protect her and their child. He throws his arms around her as she sits back on the bed. "Kenna.... I will miss you terribly. But I can't bear to leave you here in harm's way either... I know you'll be safer away from here. You'll be well-protected. And I promise you, I WILL come see you whenever the opportunity arises. And I will write to you often. And... I'm very happy about this Kenna. I really am." He places a hand on her stomach softly and smiles, at the same time looking a bit sad that he'll have to be away from her for so long. |
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