La Salle De Ciel - The Hall of Sky.

Renaux is knocked into Arianne as the carriage rocks luckily he had managed to get the dagger he had been offering the girl out of the way. He quickly regains his footing and realizes the carriage is being high jacked. Like all Pegasus knights he has trained on the carrier air ships used for transportation and he is used to maintaining balance in a moving vehicle. His earlier awkwardness forgotten he says to Arianne voice tight with concentration.

"Sorry no time for discussion."

He then opens the door scoops up the lady in his arms and he jumps. Of course jumping is a very poor description for what he does, using the Crown of Wings he gathers the wind underneath him and practically explodes out of the carriage. The force of the wind propelling him knocks the carriage onto its side and the king goes hurtling through the air to land on the roof of a nearby building. His betrothed still cradled in his arms he doesn't stop to rest he starts running across the roof tops.

On the rooftops he'd be running right into more gang members. They'd be surprised at his sudden appearance but they'd draw their swords and threaten him. "Hold it right there, King! We've got you surrounded, our men are all over. Even if you do get through us, you'll find more of us coming."

"Yeah, we're sick of your rule, this is an uprising!"

"Don't try and run, we wouldn't want to hurt the lady in your arms there trying to shoot you."

The men would surround the king, ready to attack him. Thing would look dire, the King may have to fight. But as a big surprise, a rapier would be drawn and stabbed through one of the men. "Guh... what?"

The men would be confused as the sword was pulled out of the man and he fell over, revealing Zigi Stardus! He raises his hand in front of his face for a serious pose as he takes a breath preparing for battle.


"GET HIM!" The men were enraged and rushed Zigi and would begin combat. He dispatched two of them with quick strikes, and another he'd judo toss from the rooftop using their own weight and movement.

"King Renaux! Are you armed?" Zigi would ask and his sword clashed with another disgruntled rogue. "It would be an honor to fight alongside you right now!"

***

Down in the alley, Major Thom was encountering a mysterious woman in front of him, he could hear fighting nearby. He didn't know what to think here. He tensed himself, not sure what was going to happen. He would fight Aria once she showed aggression, but would ultimately fall.

Meanwhile, Ashani had been wandering the streets of the city, perusing the shops of a small time commercial district a few blocks off the main streets. She was mainly in the market for herbal supplies and runes. It was nice shopping away from all the festivities, as though a number a shops were probably closed, there were fewer crowds and she was able to get a good feeling of what the city of Travere was like.

She had retreated to the top of a nearby building to sit cross-legged under the sun and tinker with new runes, meditate on spellcraft and practice channeling energy. A simple spell of levitation was utilized from an empty alley. It was an even more private place to be, by its higher ground location unseen by most anyone on the street.

Others atop the rooftops were another story. Ashani hears a great commotion--a disturbance in the populace a few blocks away. She stands, pulled from her meditative activities. She looks over to see a runaway carriage. Having just been tinkering with the arcane, she was highly attuned to magical presences, and she felt much of it. Several mages had participated in an increasingly escalating plot of terrorism. During this commotion, she began channeling energies.

Yet, before she could decide what aspect of the scene to investigate--the battle in the streets, or the meeting of magi in a nearby alley, the rooftop nearby became the stage of what appeared to be a kidnapping.

Instantly, she approached them all--the circle of men surrounding two nobles who had just been surprise-assisted by a turncoat commander.

When Renaux landed on the roof he had been surprised to be surrounded by more rebel troops though not unduly worried he had been preparing to simply leap over the men when a... person appeared to assist. The king watched bemused as the ridiculously dressed man dispatched the surrounding rebels as oddly as he dressed he was clearly a decent fighter. Renaux sets Arianne on the ground and draws his bastard sword he says to the stranger.

"Thank you for the aid, I don't know how many more of them there are but lets get to the palace."

He urges Arianne to move ahead of him when he spots a woman on the neighboring roof top, the one he had been about to leap to he addresses the woman calmly.

"If you are a citizen I suggest you get inside quickly, if you are one of my attackers I suggest you run."

The king doesn't pause in his stride as he leaps over to the other roof top assisting Arianne as her dress is a bit cumbersome.

(This is what the 'Fog' is.)
It didn't take much for Demigrem to know what to do. Ukufa was already thinking of him and Demigrem could see through the man's eyes. He needed an escape, and a quick one. Demigrem knew what he could do.

A thick, green, fog began to roll arrive infront of Ukufa. The stench was horrid, smelling like a thousand dead corpses. The fog would thicken enough the create a veil for Ukufa to do what he needed to do.

He'd then speak into Ukufa's mind, "I hope you're having fun. I'm heading to new land. Ever heard of Gauldin?"

She didn't really have much time to react to the way that Renaux looked at her when he first saw her, caught breathless and staring. She had turned to him and had opened her mouth to ask him just what exactly was going on when he was throne against her, pinning her to the carriage with his large, masculine body a top of hers.

"What in--" Her words were cut off as he once again handed her the dagger. She took it, and then she looped her arm around his shoulders and was whisked out of the carriage and onto a nearby rooftop, her long train floating after her.

Some of the panic of the crowds below abated to see the red-headed queen in her charmed and enchanted gown, struck by beauty and innocence and a genuine wish in their hearts for love and happiness for the young woman wearing it.

Surrounded on the rooftop, she did not back away or cringe behind Renaux, but instead flipped her dagger in her hand menacingly, and only hope that her dress wouldn't be so terrible to fight in, damn the blood stains she might get.... but she was saved by Zigi Stardus, who had come to the rescue just in the knick of time!

Whisked away to another rooftop, she landed and cursed her long train quietly beneath her breath. She looked at Ashani's little trick of the light that resulted in a rapier in the witch's hand.

"Wonderful trick," Arianne asked. "Can you do it twice?" It was her way of asking for a weapon that would do more damage than the dagger she had in her hand. Her husband was to be was a very curious sort. He gifted her with a Pegasus ride, a rooftop brawl, and a dagger for her wedding day.

How romantic!

Zigi would compliment the king on his handling of the rebels and covering him where he couldn't see. The militia didn't expect Zigi's betrayal of them, but he'd make sure none of them survived to spread it around. Once they arrived at the palace, he'd sheathe his rapier.

"Thank you, King Renaux. I accept the invitation." Zigi would remove his gloves and stick them in his pocket while looking over at Ashani, "After you, madame."

He'd follow behind into the Palace.

<Exits to The Royal Palace>

Ukufa would spot the sudden betrayal. He smiled. "I wonder what Godmother will think of this?"

In his mind he'd turn to Demigrem. "This is a formidable land. It would be unwise to act recklessly without proper preparations. I already lost two of my men. But there is also great opportunity here, if one chooses their allies careful. You may be interested in learning of something called fairy dust... Also, I have a new pet."

Ukufa fled the area as quickly as he could.

<Exits>

The sound of Sionnach's hooves clattering off the street could be heard as Diodorus' magic swept over this area of town. Lady Vanelle's own stood was just behind, and the two handsomely dressed women came around the corner, one with firebrand hair, and the other dark as night.

Arianne pulled on the reigns of her horse and took a look around the Cathedral's square. Some of her Father's men were still there just to keep watch, and then looked over at the familiar face of Arianne and frowned.

"My lady, it's not safe for you to be out here," said one of the guards.

"I'm perfectly safe," Arianne said, gesturing to the sword belted at her hips. She dismounted smoothly, and Lady Vanelle followed the action, also discretely armed. The women, dressed in fine riding coats, breeches, and boots, approached the Arch Magus.

"Arch Magus," Arianne asked him. "What is the feeling of the city?"