The Journey 54.

Autumn. The City Of Fanile. The Capital Of The Kingdom Of Terrindim.

Prince Waniq, the crown prince of Terrindim hears a shout of anger away to his left.
Followed by a scream from a woman, here on the steps infront of the main keep, of what's referred to as the real palace of Terrindim.
The crown prince who effectively is the head of the Balford faction. Looks sharply at his wife, the princess Kelriss, who has just muttered "What the hell?".
He looks down to his right, and blinks in surprise when he sees that his daughter Sarsha is gone.
Prince Waniq looks at his wife, and again blinks in surprise as she suddenly disappears infront of his eyes.
The crown prince quickly looks away to the left across the vast courtyard, to where the twin dragons are.
Protect yourself you idiot, says the voice of Blackflame the dragon within in his mind.
They're safe, adds the voice of the dragon whose real name is Das.
Prince Waniq spots two small figures with the royal dragons. One of whom Whitefire aka Cre puts a protective claw around as she angrily roars.
A third figure suddenly appears infront of the large black dragon, and Blackflame puts a protective claw around whoever that is as he roars, just as angrily as his twin sister.
As the crown prince of Terrindim is hemmed in by his uncle Paldim and his cousin Craefar.
He looks quickly out into the vast courtyard, and sees that his father, king Crassil has disappeared.
He figures the third person with the royal dragons is his father the king.
As out in the courtyard, the ranks of king's guards and royal palace guards scatter.
As no one wants to be around the twin dragons when they're angry. As they could very well kill everyone in here within the walled in section of the Royal Palace of Terrindim if they wanted to.
"Watch it lads" says prince Paldim, the middle royal brother to his son and nephew. As people jostle one another as they flee.
The king of Terrindim's brother says to his nephew "Draw that dagger Niq" followed by "You might need it" as he nods away to the left along the steps, here infront of the main keep of the inner sanctum of the royal palace.
"Shit" mutters crown prince Waniq who hastily draws the dagger his wife gave him just before the ceremonies got underway on this cold, autumn morning here in the capital city Fanile.
"Just stab them with the sharp end cuz" says prince Craefar, the son of prince Paldim.
Who is looking bloody murder at his wife the lady Desamo, who is quickly backing away up the steps and away from the trio who are in the Balford faction as people scatter.
Prince Waniq looks at the scene before him, away to the left on the steps infront of the main keep.
His youngest brother, prince Dalvin is lying on the ground, clutching his bloody side.
While his young wife, is cradling him as she hysterically cries.
A bit further away in that direction, is his young cousin, prince Simeon, the son of prince Fallins and princess Laenna the dragon rider. Is also down, and bleeding.
While his wife, the lady Kallie, cousin of lord Ganulf. Stands protectively over him. With a dagger in hand. Keeping two men at bay. Each with a long dagger in their hands. One of which is bloody.
The crown prince looks down the steps, and shouts in anger "Sormis you bastard!".
"I never did like your brother cuz" says prince Craefar who is a fleet admiral in the Balford faction.
"I should of worn my battle sword" sourly adds the youngest child of prince Paldim and the lady Desamo in a mutter as he looks at his dress sword he's holding.
It's a deadly enough weapon, but it's more decorative than efficient. And because it's so lightweight, it will probably break after it's been hit just a few times.
"No time for complaining now son" says prince Paldim, who from beneath his thick fur cloak, has pulled out a shortsword he had hidden.
The middle royal brother might not be a master swordsman like his youngest brother prince Fallins.
But nevertheless, he's a deadly opponent all the same. And has had plenty of experience in combat. As he often went into battle when he was the head of the Balford faction.
On the steps below them, is queen Pania of Terrindim. Who is surrounded by those in the extended royal family who are loyal to her.
Infront of her, is her son, prince Sormis, the head of the Grayvin faction. Sword in hand, which is bloody. As he's the one who struck down his youngest brother, Dalvin.
Prince Waniq bitterly smiles, as he sees his brother for what he truly is. And opportunist, who has sided with their mother, the queen.
With the head of the Grayvin faction, is a number of his sycophants, all of whom are armed too.
"Stab through a gap only Niq" quietly murmurs prince Paldim to his nephew the crown prince.
Who nods his head, as his uncle adds in a murmur "Let me and Craef deal to them head on".
Then from beneath his cloak, the middle royal brother pulls out a dagger. And throws it with skill.
He aims for his nephew prince Sormis, who quickly ducks out of the way. And the dagger takes the man right behind him in the throat. Dropping him to the ground, where he rolls back down the steps.
"Well, that's one of you bastards!" shouts prince Paldim the brother of the king.
"Who's next?" calls out the middle royal brother, who then adds in a mutter "Should've brought more daggers with me".
As prince Sormis, and those with him. Hurry up the steps to confront the three in the Balford faction.
Meanwhile away to the left of the steps, as people jostle one another to get out of the way.
As everyone is frightened that the twin dragons will do something rather destructive, and very permanent.
Lord Ganulf says "To the prince" as he grabs sir Gilbane the sorcerer to haul him out of the confusion as people scramble out of the way.
The lord of Highsun lets go of the spellcaster, and punches a man, a retainer to a nobleman in the Golmard faction.
Hitting him in the throat, as he tried to stab the advisor to crown prince Waniq in the gut.
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede quickly picks up the dropped dagger, which lies next to the man he hit, and dropped to the ground.
Then sir Gilbane takes him by the left arm, and pulls him sideways through the melee.
"A spell of some kind would be good Gil" gasps lord Ganulf as they get free of the thick of the crowd who are fleeing.
"No fucking way" says sir Gilbane the sorcerer, who nods away to their right.
The lord of the city of Highsun quickly looks that way, and sees a body, well it kind of resembles a body. That's lying on the ground as people run around it as they scatter.
"What's that?" asks the advisor to the crown prince of Terrindim.
"Sir Dascal, that Golmard sorcerer" quickly says sir Gilbane who continues with "He was going to hit us with a spell" dryly followed by "The twins didn't take too kindly to that".
The sorcerer who is a close friend and confidant to prince Waniq, has sensed the other spellcasters here in the vast courtyard within the walled off section of the royal palace.
Not a single one of them, including himself. Is touching their power to cast a spell.
Lord Ganulf grimaces as he has one last look at the body of the sir Dascal the sorcerer.
It's a shape of a body really. That's been smeared across the ground, a smear of body parts and blood.
That roughly resembles the shape of a body, and nothing else.
Then the lord of the largest city in the mountainous north of the kingdom, quickly says to his fellow nobleman in the Balford faction "To the prince" followed by "On the steps".
The advisor to the crown prince of Terrindim, stops and picks up a shortsword that belongs to a fleeing king's guard that's been dropped.
And affer he hands the dagger he picked up a few moments ago, to the sorcerer, sir Gilbane.
The lord of the city of Highsun turns quickly to their right, as two men, both with long daggers.
One of whom is a minor noble, lord Ganulf challenged to a duel a few days ago, and was refused.
Rush him and sir Gilbane as they try to make their way to the steps infront of the main keep, here in the walled off section of the royal palace complex.
The advisor to prince Waniq, rather he had his rapier, his dueling sword with him. Not the king's guard shortsword he finds himself holding.
All the same, he moves towards the two rushing towards him and the sorcerer, as he quietly says to sir Gilbane "Keep behind me, only attack them if they get by me".
Meanwhile, across the vast courtyard, which is larger than the largest square in most cities.
The lone figure who was standing on the otherside of the open gates, is now moving once pandemonium broke out in the inner sanctum of the so called real palace.
He moves forward, through the open gates. Through the tunnel like thick wall, and into the courtyard.
As some of those fleeing, run by him, as they escape from the chaos and panic that was the crowning day ceremonies for the king of Terrindim.
After checking the longsword on his left hip. He looks away to his right, to the far side of the vast courtyard, where the twin dragons, Blackflame and Whitefire are.
Even from this distance, he can see who the three people with the royal dragons are.
There's his brother, king Crassil. As well as his nephew Waniq's wife, princess Kelriss. As well as his nephew Waniq's daughter, Sarsha.
He slightly nods his head as he sees the twin dragons intently watching what's going on infront of the main keep of the walled off section of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
Then prince Fallins, the youngest of the three royal brothers. Starts walking across the vast courtyard. To the steps infront of the main keep.
There he sees his enemy, queen Pania of Terrindim. Who no doubt is the one who has instigated all this upheaval and panic this morning, here in the inner sanctum of the royal palace.
On what's a cold autumn morning, here in Fanile, the capital city of the kingdom of Terrindim.
As queen Pania shouts out "Take them quick!". Prince Sormis waves those with him forward to attack his brother, uncle and cousin.
Crown prince Waniq sourly smiles as he sees his younger brother smirking as he has no intention to be the first to face the blades of his uncle Paldim, and his cousin Craefar.
If the sycophants of prince Sormis thought they were going to have it easy as they take on the trio in the Balford faction, they're sadly mistaken.
The crown prince of Terrindim grimaces as his cousin Craefar the young fleet admiral, goes down one step, and shoves his dress sword forward with speed.
Taking one of the attackers right in the face. In the mouth to be exact.
The royal cousin who knows his sword will be best if he doesn't hit anything solid, like another blade.
Pulls his sword free, and whips it to one side, taking another of the attackers across the face.
And though prince Craefar doesn't drop that man whose left cheek is sliced open, the attacker quickly backs down the steps, holding his bloody face.
The middle royal brother, prince Paldim immediately recognises that though the three of them are outnumbered.
Those who are attacking them might be trained, but they look like they have no experience in battle, or at most very little combat experience.
The middle royal brother definitely knows his nephew Sormis, the head of the Grayvin faction has never been in battle before.
Blocks a sword thrust from the left with his shortsword, then kicks out at the man who just attacked him.
Connecting with him in the guts. And as the man doubles over, and goes to fall back.
Prince Paldim smashes his shortsword down across the top of his head. Smashing open the man's skull. And sending him toppling back down the steps.
"Come on you bastards!" shouts the middle royal brother, followed by "Is that all you've got?".
Prince Waniq looks quickly away to the left as a couple of the attackers look to come around the three of them.
And as his uncle Paldim steps back up to stand beside him again. The crown prince thinks about chucking the dagger he's holding, at one of those trying to come up around them.
The crown prince who basically leads the Balford faction thinks he better not, as more than likely he'll miss.
Then he nods, when he hears his uncle who turns to confront the two who have come up around on that side, quietly tell him "Remember Niq, through the gaps".
Meanwhile, just to the side of the long set of steps that run along much of the front of the main keep, here in the walled off section of the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
Lord Ganulf who has looked away to the left, to the far side of the vast courtyard. And seen that a number of the king's guard have maintained their discipline.
And are doing what they're supposed be doing, guarding the king. As about a hundred of them have formed ranks infront of the twin dragons.
Standing between the king, and the chaos that's taking place here in the inner sanctums of the royal palace.
Not afraid to risk the ire of the royal dragons who can be heard angrily rumbling and roaring at times as they watch what's happening.
The lord of Highsun easily deflects a long dagger swung at him, and with an up flick, he sends the shortsword he's using, up under the chin of his assailant. Smashing open the man's jaw, and mouth.
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede shoves the man away into another attacker.
Who trips over the dying man. The assailant who falls over the other one, and lands on the ground.
Gets kicked in the head by sir Gilbane the sorcerer. Whose dagger is bloody, testament that he's had to stab someone recently.
"They're a bit shit scared to come at us all of a sudden" says sir Gilbane who is breathing heavily "I wonder why" dryly adds the sorcerer who is good friends with crown prince Waniq.
He's never seen lord Ganulf fight before. But in just a short time, he can see the famous duelist has definitely earned his reputation.
For even using a weapon he wouldn't normally use. The lord of the city of Highsun has cut down all of those who have attacked them.
They've reached the edge of the steps, and though there's a few from the Golmard faction who are nearby, and are wary to approach.
Lord Ganulf says to the spellcaster in the Balford faction "Up and across the steps".
As there's fighting across the long set of steps, in the middle of which are their fellow members of the Balford faction. The middle royal brother prince Paldim, his son, prince Craefar. As well as the crown prince himself, prince Waniq.
Meanwhile, out in the vast courtyard infront of the main keep here in the inner sanctums of the royal palace.
The other royal brother, the youngest of the three. Prince Fallins, continues to walk across the courtyard towards the main keep, and the steps infront of it.
As those fleeing towards the gates, part for him, and get out of his way.
The king of Terrindim's youngest brother looks to where he can see queen Pania towards the base of the steps, surrounded by others. As she looks up the steps, at the fighting taking place there.
As he makes his way further across the vast courtyard, prince Fallins briefly touches the hilt of his longsword.
Then touches the black cloth of mourning he has wrapped around his right arm in memory of his wife, princess Laenna the dragon rider.
Then the youngest of the trio of royal brothers, narrows his eyelids as he continues to watch his sister inlaw the queen, who he has vowed to kill . . . . . .