King Ad Rock
Abednego
Location: Coliseum of Iorn, Iorn, Kildra
Date: Month 6, Day 15
Time: Between the twelfth hour of morning and the first hour of night(12:00-1:00 P.M.)
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As the Queen and her new friend crossed the threshold of the booth reserved for the royal family, both Kindrel Iornia and his Captain of the guard Jison V’Arnak fell to their knees instantly. They had been waiting patiently for the two city guard they had sent to retrieve her to accomplish their task.
Just to the two men's right was a smorgasbord of delicacies piled onto a long table. Various finely cooked meats and freshly baked breads of all sorts lined the buffet, along with a wide array of candied fruits. Suzane’s stomach rumbled just putting her gaze upon the feast. The aroma wafted over to her tiny nose with a small breeze causing her mouth to salivate in anticipation. It was said that Kindrel’s head chef was one of, if not, the best chef of all of Kildra.
Once Chancellor Virin and General Sindor came up the stairs behind them, their host spoke with a humble greeting, “Your majesty, we all thank you for gifting us with your presence on this beautiful day. You are just in time for-” Kindrel spoke without looking up, his forearm placed upon his knee. Suzane interrupted him before he could finish his awkward and nervous sounding statement.
“Yes Lord Kindrel, and to think we would not be able to enjoy this lovely day together had your men defeated mine in the ‘Battle of Ozryn’. Funny how these things work.” Suzane said with a sly smirk. Both Kindrel and Jison seemed taken quite aback at this assertion with telling glances between them.
“Oh gentleman, I am only fooling with you. Up! Off your feet! I’ve had enough groveling today.” She commanded with a rise of her hands. From behind her, Virin shook his head while General Sindor seemed to snicker to himself. “They do tell me at the castle that my humor is a bit dark.” She finished with an unusually warm smile at the two, almost punctuating her morbid humor. Suzane gave Eliza a quick wink and whispered our of the side of her mouth, “Got to keep these damn nobles on their toes.” She then turned her attention to the massive T’Odis as he stood to his feet, towering over all in the booth.
“And this must be Captain Jison, the man I was told had taken out nearly two hundred of mine by his lonesome.” She said while letting her eyes ride up his physique to his face placed several heads above her own. It was uncertain if she was just impressed with his size, or if she was giving him the once over for other reasons…
“Your majesty, I do not believe was that ma-“ Jison tried starting before being cut off himself.
“Oh no need for modesty my tall friend. The war is long over. You might as well revel in it. Besides, if anything were to happen now, you would be fighting on my side, correct?” She asked with a raise of her thin, blonde eyebrows.
Although Jison should have known the obvious answer, he still looked to his Lord for reassurance. Kindrel returned the stare with one that seemed to say, “Answer, you buffoon!” Jison turned back to Suzane who now had her hands on her hips waiting for her answer, and nodded in reluctant agreement.
“Aye, damn ice giant took out some of my best men.” Sindor chimed in with a monotone response as he took a seat by the balcony that looked over the entire arena grounds. He did not look over while speaking these words. Nobody in the booth knew whether or not he said this with respect or some sort of hatred. It seemed to be a bit of both. Virin followed and took a seat beside the General quietly, the annoyed look from earlier having never left his face.
“Not going to eat gentleman? Well, more for us ladies I suppose!” Suzane exclaimed delightedly with a turn to Eliza by her side. Before the two women could make their way over to the waiting cuisine, Kindrel gestured to the arena floor.
“As I was trying to tell you before your grace, you have made it just in time to catch the next fisticuffs match. The winner will qualify to face Captain Jison later today.” Jison gave a small smile filled with pride at this information.
“He competed? Seems like a conflict of interest.” Sindor spoke up, again without turning his head. With a flick of his hand he called over one of the silently waiting servants standing at the side of the booth with one short command of, “Wine!” The servant hurried over with a large pitcher and goblet and began to pour. The young man tried stopping when the cup was half full, only to have Sindor call for it to be filled to the brim.
“Well… Let us just say it was not planned.” Kindrel answered the crotchety General. Jison and a few of the guards chuckled at this.
“I assure you, was all done fairly.” Jison responded in his slightly broken Kildran with another curt nod. The tall T’Odis then brought his attention to the tiny Eliza, who was miniscule in comparison to him. “This… daughter?” He asked with a bit of confusion. Kindrel’s own face became washed over with confusion knowing the Queen had but one child.
“Eliza, introduce yourself to the men so we can get some food in that roaring stomach of yours!” Suzane called out to the petite merchant as she ignored them all and made her own way to the mountain of food.
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He was so huge!
He probably had a sword as big as she was-
She paused in her thoughts, clearing out her throat while trying to chamber out of the gutter she fell into... At least until he began looming over her. Noticing him she yelped slightly, taken aback by the sudden movement in attention the of the giant. Or, at least so she imagined he was looming, not like he couldn't hell he as well be looking over the whole world!
"I-I am no child, thank you! My name is Eliza Quinn." she sputtered out quickly, feeling like a small fish in a VERY big pond. "I'm.... A merchant... And.. umm.." she shivered again, shuffling over to Suzanne 's side, her face flash red as her locks losing the bravado being called a child brought.
Her eyes scanned around the room, until they were brought upon the impending match down below... She wondered just what type of person would go out and get punched for the enjoyment of thousands.
Not she, no siree.
She did have one question, for the T'odis... person. "Are.. all your people so very... Large?" she asked peering up towards him again, all but ignoring the other man in the room, considering he wasn't three full heads taller than her.
Her nervousness was not to end any time soon, for at the moment she finished asking, the sound of a horn bellowed through the arena below, causing yet another yelp from the spooked young woman.
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Eliza did what any one would do when faced by a giant. Stare, stare up at the massive person in amazement, she had really only seen a T'odis from afar, they looked big but never THIS big. Her eyes examined the man up and down, he was enormous! She barely heard Suzane's words about nobles, nodding as she wondered what kind of person could fight such a giant.
He was so huge!
He probably had a sword as big as she was-
She paused in her thoughts, clearing out her throat while trying to chamber out of the gutter she fell into... At least until he began looming over her. Noticing him she yelped slightly, taken aback by the sudden movement in attention the of the giant. Or, at least so she imagined he was looming, not like he couldn't hell he as well be looking over the whole world!
"I-I am no child, thank you! My name is Eliza Quinn." she sputtered out quickly, feeling like a small fish in a VERY big pond. "I'm.... A merchant... And.. umm.." she shivered again, shuffling over to Suzanne 's side, her face flash red as her locks losing the bravado being called a child brought.
Her eyes scanned around the room, until they were brought upon the impending match down below... She wondered just what type of person would go out and get punched for the enjoyment of thousands.
Not she, no siree.
She did have one question, for the T'odis... person. "Are.. all your people so very... Large?" she asked peering up towards him again, all but ignoring the other man in the room, considering he wasn't three full heads taller than her.
Her nervousness was not to end any time soon, for at the moment she finished asking, the sound of a horn bellowed through the arena below, causing yet another yelp from the spooked young woman.
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"My word!" Eliza chirped upon the man's answer, bigger than he? I guess what they say is true about "Everything is bigger in the north." Would she say that out loud? Oh no way, but she was definitely thinking it. The woman turned her gaze to Suzanne, who seemed to be guiding her along as always. Seems she wanted her close by, perhaps she was worried she might get into trouble?
Or maybe.. Worried she might get taken away?
Hah, how foolish. She was the queen, who would go against her word right?
But nonetheless the woman followed, her petite crimson form nothing compared to the greatness of her highness, but nonetheless she honestly felt on top of the world right now, even as she slipped away a few desserts from the table as she passed by. "Ooh? My these little tarts are to die for.." her delight plain to see as she followed after the queen like a duckling to it's mother.
Just how many people would see her up here? How many would be wondering "Whos that girl?"
Eliza Quinn, she'd say, Luckiest woman in the world.
She just hoped one of her sisters were in the crowd, just so she could rub it in their face so hard. What else were siblings for after all?
Her attention turned from her inner thoughts to the duel, if you could call it that, preceding down below. Were they talking? Shouting? Honestly she expected something a tad bit more visceral when it came to the fights, but of course there would be rules, this wasn't some sort of drunken brawl like the ones she's seen/participated in. Much less kicks to the groin or clawed eyes.
Though even from her seat she could tell those two men were not just there for a fight, something felt... Well... Charged in a different sense. She definitely didn't like this Wyrm guy, but the other one was handsome, hell had at least some form of charisma.
But when the man roared like some form of beast, she definitely knew he was some damn weirdo.
A weirdo with alot of scars and quite a few problems in the head most likely, she thought as she snagged yet another tart from a nearby cart. The handsome man was certainly an acrobatic fellow, and the scared man was certainly strong. Both had their merits, but Eliza could hardly keep up with msot the fight even as she watched it, strikes, swipes and leaps abound, was she watching a fight or a circus performance?
"And one of these men will fight him huh?' she asked herself as she glanced back to the T'odis born man in their midst.
She'd pay to see the dancing leaping man to fight again, but the scared man had a ferocity that she couldn't help but want to watch. And the fight only got better and better!
Truly, at this point she was mesmerized by the fighters below, even if at times she couldn't quite see what was going on. Though she was almost worried they were going to far, being thrown like that and pounced upon seemed like cause enough to call a fight, but still it went on! Eliza scootted to the edge of her seat by her new friend, eyes wide and smile even wider. "OOh, I remember seeing my sisters in one of these fights, I should've went to more, this is just too exciting! What kind of person does it take to want to go in there any beat, and get beaten upon i wonder? Do you think they're in there to prove a point? Or maybe its for the fame? Probably that actually, lots of people around, including the great Queen herself~!" she commented, and flashed a smile towards her noble friend, as she watched the flurry of movement down below.
The fight had gone from a display of acrobatics to a brawl on the ground, it was like watching a bear try to wrestle a particularly aggressive snake. A snake that, apparently was slippery enough to give as much as he got, even when pounced upon by that immense beastly man! the final moments of the fight became a pure blur of movement from the slippery man as he ended the fight before Eliza could even blink!
"AH!? Oh! He won!" she clapped excitedly, before sitting back in her chair and fixing herself, noticing the man had looked their way. "Goodness, what a fight. Ooh I wish Nina could've seen it." the petite red haired woman chirped, obviously enjoying herself thoroughly, as a sneaky and stole yet another tart. "And what a sport to! Or is bowing required? Either way, I'm happy that face is still intact." she smirked, tapping her chin with a single finger as she watched the rest of the scene go about.
"Ah, but what comes next? Another competition?" her excitement was plain and contagious as she gazed towards the queen, hoping she to was enjoying the show below them.
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“Yes Miss Eliza, Captain Jison here will be facing the victor, Sef, in just a couple hours.” Jison had a face of smug confidence set upon him at this revelation. He leaned his massive frame over with a bend at the waist to get closer to the sitting Eliza. With a lowered voice he whispered to her,
“Little lady-boy does not stand a chance. Fight will be over soon. I promise to take it easy on him.” A wink punctuated this assurance to Eliza. Kindrel smiled brightly and shook his head at this promise from his city-guard captain.
Virin and Sindor were conversing with each other from their seats, discussing the recently ended bout. Sindor was mildly impressed with the young heir to Boar’s den’s flexibility while Virin expressed his surprise that the fierce looking Aloysius was taken down so quickly.
“I have heard that those with his disgusting fetishes tend to be limber.” Sindor said with a hint of disdain in his voice. Suzane gave Sindor a flashing, almost uncatchable look of scorn with downturned eyes and a curled lip. It was gone as fast as it was there. Then, she looked as if she had just realized something. She turned to Kindrel and partially shouted,
“Several hours!? And just what do you expect us to do in the meantime?” Suzane questioned him before standing to her feet. Kindrel’s confusion was evident. Sindor and Virin were continuing their discussion, completely unaware of the others in the booth.
“Well, your majesty, I assumed you would be content with waiting in the royal boo-”
“Oh, no-no Kindrel. That will just not do.” Suzane cut him off while shaking her head and crossing her arms. “Eliza and I will not sit cooped up in this stuffy booth for several hours while this brute gets ready to go beat that brute.” Suzane marched over towards the towering Jison, being eclipsed by his being. She looked up at him with one eyebrow raised and began “shooing” him with her small hands.
“Go! Stretch! Or whatever it is you men do before these things that takes several hours. In the meantime, Eliza and I will take stroll around town, possibly see what your shops have to offer.” She pivoted toward Eliza and gave her a look that seemed to say, “is that something you’d enjoy?”
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Though the chain of crassness in the booth certainly didn't end, as Sindor began to start, as the lay men might say, talking shit.
It was then that Suzy, a name that she would never in a million years say... In front of others..., began to speak of her displeasure on a note that Eliza didn't quite catch, staying in the booth for hours on end?
I'n truth she could spend DAYS on end with that desert cart.
Though then again, she would be stuck here alone with a bunch of gentlemen she didn't know, one of which was lord, the other a giant and the other a man who... She really had no clue about aside from his filthy mouth.
Besides, what could she do with a couple of bored men for hours on end-
Nope time to leave.
Engaging in what one might call a hastened scurry towards Suzane she beamed a shining smile up towards the taller woman. "Oh most definitely! there are quite a few places I would love to check out, I had no time before while I was running my own. I've heard of a wonderful tailor in town, though I do need to see if I can find some more suitable shoes." she tapped her chin, raising her eyes to the sky in thought on what she should wear in the coming days as a Queen's... Acquaintance!
She leaned in slightly and softly whispered. "And anything to be away from that sweets tray.. I gained half a stone being in here.
Suzane put a hand over her mouth and pointed her lips in Eliza’s direction in an imaginative manner. She gave her little companion her own whispered confession,
“I have been sneaking handfuls from the entire tray since we have gotten here. I think I may have you beat on that weight gain.” She gave yet another playful wink to the redhead before spinning around to face Lord Kindrel, placing her fists on her hips as she did so. “So it has been decided, we will take a couple Sword Sisters with us and we will shop around for 2 hours exactly, then we shall return to watch the T’Odis attempt to manhandle the Setaro boy. Something tells me the bout will not be as easy for him as he thinks.” She assured cockily.
Virin had finally turned his attention from his conversation with General Sindor to the Queen. He looked as if he wanted to protest this spontaneous excursion, but he instead just shook his head slowly in displeasure. The chancellor had turned back around to watch the sudden commotion on the coliseum floor that had already caught the eye of Sindor. Kindrel knew what this was, a musical display for the crowd. Dancers and drummers filled onto the arena floor to the never ending roar of the audience.
“Your grace, are you sure you do not want to stay for the show? This year’s troupe was handpicked by my eldest daughter herself.” Kindrel stated proudly as he stood to his feet. Although, his daughter was not here to see her pick through, choosing instead to spend the day in the castle preparing for the Queen’s arrival.
Suzane looked back over her shoulder at the drummers, singers, and acrobats below with pursed lips. Their melodic beat was starting to grow and emanate from the far down floor. She tapped her foot playfully to the rhythm and twitched her nose at the lord of Iorn. Even if she did not truly care, she did her best to try not to insult her host, for she had no interest in the performers below.
“Oh Kindrel, as a Queen, when you’ve seen as many musical troupes as I have, you’ve seen them all.” She said with a flick of her wrist. “I will make sure to thank your eldest daughter personally. What was her name again? Angelica?”
“Yes, your grace.”
“Wonderful! We will make sure to get each of your beautiful daughters a gift on our little adventure.” The Queen responded with a genuine smile. Whether this was because of the obvious confusion on Kindrel’s face, because she really wanted to gift his daughters, or because of her excitement of about getting to do something routine breaking was known only to her. She walked elegantly over to the silent Sword Sisters who were standing guard by the entrance of the booth.
“Captain Ysolde, are you two ready to accompany us?” Suzane questioned the tall Sword Captain while looking up at her.
“It will be our pleasure, your majesty!” the armored woman replied heartily and with a short bow,
Suzane gestured for Eliza to follow them out of the booth.
The red head watched as their entourage grew, silly of her to even think for a moment they would be travelling together alone. Not sure why she even thought that in the first place really, but nonetheless her friend's guardians were pleasant enough, and not fully looming over her head. Following the queen, Eliza kept pace with her, looking once again happy as clam.
"Shopping with the queen, my word, I'd say pinch me but this is a dream I'd rather not wake from yet." she giggled, her cheer ready and present as they climbed down the steps, her foot steps as loud as the knights around them thanks to her interesting choice of footwear. "They just thought us to stay put for hours on end? My word... As comfortable as those seats were, I dare say they wouldn't after an hour or two of being loomed over..."
Another thing came to mind. "Do you really have to deal with that all day? I'd be dying to run through the country side after a week."
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As the Queen and her growing group of followers left the booth and made their way down the winding solid stone steps of the coliseum, the minute Eliza questioned her with a gleeful chirp,
“Do you really have to deal with that all day? I'd be dying to run through the countryside after a week." It was obvious to the elder woman that her adorable companion was becoming more at ease and this delighted her to her core.
“All day, all week, all year. My whole life, deary. This is how I live, unfortunately.” Suzane threw her hands up as they walked and shrugged. Her deflated words bounced off the descending stairway’s walls. “Any countryside running would have to be accompanied by several pompous Lords, two lecherous priests, and a small, well-equipped army.” Suzane jested with a fluttering wink to Eliza. A quick turn of head had her looking back at the Sword sisters marching behind them.
The Kildran Sword Sisters had started out as an all female mercenary band that were employed in the Queen’s service during the war. She had taken a special liking to the group after they had proven themselves more than useful during the horrific battle of Gilgrend. They were eventually integrated into the royal guard as their own separate unit as payment for their participation, along with land and titles. This did not sit well with many in both the royal court and the pre-existing royal guard, and Suzane made no attempt at hiding her beaming joy over that.
“At least we have the Sisters with us now. They know how to be a little less stuffy than the usual guard. Isn't that right, Ysolde?” The Queen called over her milky-white shoulder.
“Yes ma'am!” The taller knightess responded in a bright tone that hinted that she was used to this kind of behavior from her monarch. Upon exclaiming this, the group reached the ground exit of the coliseum and Ysolde gleefully smiled down at Eliza revealing rows of fine teeth. The captain's long, blonde braid swung behind her as she stepped off the stairs.
“It's a good thing I left the Crown Royal Guard at home. Those men would have been up our asses!” Suzane exclaimed with a laugh. “I know those hounds would have been up yours, Eliza.” A raise of her eyebrows saw Suzane give the petite redhead a humorous hip-bump.
The roaring bustle of the street could be heard through the back exit. A symphony of voices and noises. What was left of the daylight poured in as night would blanket them in just a few hours. Suzane looked excitedly out the archway at all the people walking by. Part of her was quite amused at the fact that nobody had recognized her standing there about to walk about the city. She wondered how long she could get away with it. She supposed not very long. Besides, Ysolde and her subordinate marching alongside would give them away in a heartbeat.
“Eliza, I'm hoping your merchant skills come in handy right now and you make sure nobody grifts me during this little shopping trip. I want only the best deals!” Suzane joked again with another wily half-smirk fixed on her thin lips.
“Now come, let us make haste before Virin comes to his senses and notices we have left!"
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"I'm used to men trying to get up there by now, so don't you worry about my cute little bum." she returned the favor with a hip-bump of her own, even if she had to aim high considering she was the smallest of the bunch here, but she was looking like she was finally out of her "Lets be scared of anything" phase. She had followed Suzie out the back door of the arena, looking more than happy to accompany the queen wherever she set foot.
but here she was, back in her element, upon the common streets, admist the common people, uttering common words and wearing common clothes. But with her, stood the most powerful woman in the city, the country, hell rivaling few others in the whole damn world!
"Suzane, my love, I wouldn't dare dream of letting you get ripped off by some third rate merchant. Now lets get going~! I say some cute necklaces I want to check out awhile back~! if people are going to be looking at my girls I may as well dangle something shiney there eh?" the little woman giggled, looking quite happy with her new found friend.
She half lead them both towards the stalls stopping at one, and then another stall, then to a few others. Her keen eye went to town upon the merchandise that they came to, examining each detail of every little thing they found together. Eliza was also quick to aid any and all bargaining that went on should her friend spot something nice, and more than willing to add her opinions should they be required over price.
As of right now, she was more or less sharing the leading role with Susane, but she was just more than happy to be with the woman. She was a downright pleasure to be around, and her guards were less than intrusive. Though she still wanted to know who does the captain's hair...
Wait why doesn't she ask?
"Suzie love, just who does Ysolde's braid? Goodness her hair looks as if it's made of spun gold." she glanced back twice, looking at the captain. "The whole lot of me and my sisters have a full head of red, makes me jealous of that braid of her's." she giggled, tapping her chin at thought of her sisters... She wondered where they were right now..
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